AU Deals: Time Did the Work, Now These Must-Plays Are Priced to Own

I have a bad habit of remembering exactly what I paid for certain games, usually right when they turn up in a sale like this. That sting is useful. It tells me which discounts actually matter. This list is mostly those games. Learn from my mistakes and save.

Contents

Retro
Nintendo
Xbox
PlayStation
PC

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’ve whipped up a wumpa fruit-flavoured cake for Crash Bandicoot 2's 27th birthday. I can vividly recall getting my arse handed to me at launch as I tried to jump, spin, body slam, slide, duck, and "death route" conquer my way to every gem needed for its secret ending.

I also have fond memories of a Simpsons pisstake of this franchise deployed around the same year. Apparently, "Dash Dingo" needed to find and devour "seven crystal babies" in the "Down Underverse" lest he spend eternity trapped in deep didgeridoo. Frankly, I'd rather play Knifey Spoony: The Video Game.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS) 1999. eBay

- XCOM 2 (PC) 2016. Get

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak (-84%) A$12.70 Still fast, still precise, and Sunbreak finally gives the loop real teeth. Enormous value, but it expects commitment and a tolerance for menus that never learned shame.
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age (-45%) A$43.70 Political, dry, and quietly brilliant. The Zodiac Job System fixes the original's mushiness, though its MMO pacing still asks for patience.
Bluey The Videogame (-35%) A$39 I'm stretching the Must Play term here. Charming in short bursts and clearly for families first. Light on challenge, heavy on vibes, and exactly what it needs to be.
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trilogy (-67%) A$13.10 Writing-led, gloriously melodramatic courtroom nonsense. The cases remain clever, the pacing occasionally indulgent, and the value here is almost rude.
Trine Ult. Col. (-80%) A$17.90 A beautiful physics playground best enjoyed cooperatively. Smart puzzles, floaty combat, and occasional chaos when teamwork collapses.

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Exciting Bargains for Xbox

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (-29%) A$119 Big, earnest adventure energy with cinematic confidence. It leans hard into spectacle, sometimes at the expense of player agency.
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown (-39%) A$29.90 Tight movement, smart map design, and real mechanical bite. Combat asks more than expected, which might surprise returning fans.
Dead Space (-73%) A$29.90 Still oppressive, still elegant. This remake fixes just enough without overexplaining, though it remains emotionally exhausting by design.
Borderlands 4 (-42%) A$69 Loud, generous, and mechanically refined. Writing mileage varies, but the shooting finally feels as good as the loot treadmill demands.
Sid Meier's Civilization VII (-23%) A$69 Iterative but confident. Systems interlock cleanly, turns vanish alarmingly fast, and it remains hostile to sleep schedules.

Xbox One

Shovel Knight Treasure Trove (-60%) A$22.90 Immaculate platforming with surprising emotional range. Tough but fair, and packed with content that respects your time.
Bloodstained Ritual of the Night (-45%) A$38.70 A loving, messy return to form. Deep systems and awkward presentation coexist, much like the genre itself.
Mafia Def. Ed. (-45%) A$38.70 Linear, deliberate, and refreshingly uninterested in bloat. The shooting is stiff, but the story earns the restraint.

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Pure Scores for PlayStation

Borderlands 4 (-42%) A$69 Slicker systems and better flow make this the strongest modern entry. Humour still divides, loot does not.
Hogwarts Legacy (-52%) A$52.40 A confident fantasy sandbox with excellent combat feel. Open world padding shows, but the core loop is sturdy.
Suikoden I and II HD Rem. (-41%) A$41.10 Still politically sharp and emotionally messy. The remaster smooths edges, but these games remain proudly old school.
Persona 3 Reload (-68%) A$31.30 Stylish, melancholic, and far better paced than before. Social systems still demand time, but the payoff is earned.
God of War Ragnarok A$69.40 Expansive and emotionally confident. Combat depth shines, though its length occasionally mistakes volume for weight.

PS4

The Walking Dead The Telltale Def. Series (-55%) A$31.20 Still devastating, still uneven. When it lands, it lands hard. Technical quirks persist.
Sonic Superstars (-47%) A$50.70 Bright, fast, and occasionally awkward. Momentum shines, bosses less so.
Resident Evil 4 (-31%) A$38 A masterclass remake that respects tension. Combat is heavier, pacing tighter, and fear more deliberate.

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

Purchase Cheap for PC

No Rest for the Wicked (-40%) A$35.90 Weighty combat and bold art direction. Still rough around the edges, but the confidence is real.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor Del. (-88%) A$14.30 Big swings, uneven optimisation, but a strong arc. At this price, its flaws sting less.
Quake (-67%) A$4.90 Still pure, still fast. Level design does all the talking.
Tales of Vesperia Def. Ed. (-80%) A$11.30 Classic JRPG comfort food. Pacing is leisurely, charm is constant.
Middle-earth Shadow of War (-90%) A$5.90 The Nemesis system still carries this. Structure bloats, emergent stories save it.
The Talos Principle (-85%) A$6.50 Thoughtful, philosophical puzzling. Asks patience and curiosity, rewards both.

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

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.