With Grand Theft Auto 6 dropping in November, time is running out if you want to play the previous games in the series before diving in. If you own a modern console, there aren't that many to catch up on, as only a few of the older ones have been ported.
Still, you can play through the whole of Grand Theft Auto 5, the previous entry, and dive into Grand Theft Auto Online, which has its own narrative content and is included free of charge. There's also Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, which contains remasters of not just one but three fan-favorite games.
They're not the most accomplished remasters on the planet, but given that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which shares a setting with the upcoming GTA 6, I would consider it an essential play before the new game arrives.
It sounds bizarre saying that I wish I could go back in time and bully my past self into spending more money, but that's exactly what I would do when it comes to Red Dead Redemption 2.
I first bought the cowboy adventure game on sale back in 2020. I can't remember the exact price, but it was something like 30 bucks for the standard version, and about ten more if I wanted the Ultimate Edition instead.
I took a look at what the more premium version offered — an exclusive mission, a cool horse, some new clothing, and some in-game progression boosts, plus a load of content for Red Dead Online — and decided that it wasn't for me. After all, I wasn't entirely sure that I would even enjoy the game or want to explore its multiplayer component.
The problem is that I did genuinely love it, and soon found myself wanting all the extra goodies. The problem? Rockstar offered no way to upgrade between editions. There were no little add-ons that let you pick up each item individually, like you can with most other games.
I was trapped with my standard version, and if I wanted to experience that Ultimate Edition content I would have to buy the entire game again. Obviously, I wasn't going to do that — leaving me bitter and feeling like I missed out.
Learn form my mistake
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
With the Grand Theft Auto 6 price and editions officially confirmed, I'm urging everyone not to make the same mistake. Like Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA 6 will be available as either a standard edition or Ultimate Edition, with the latter unlocking loads of exclusive content.
It sounds even more significant than what you got with the comparable edition of Red Dead Redemption 2, and includes new vehicles, weapon skins, outfits, and even access to some exclusive locations, such as a beachside garage.
To be clear, Rockstar has not officially confirmed whether it will offer the option to upgrade to the pricier edition down the line. But, after my Red Dead Redemption 2 experience, I wouldn't take the risk.
At $99.99 (UK and Australian pricing has yet to be confirmed), the Ultimate Edition isn't cheap. It's only $20 more than the standard version, though, which goes for $79.99, and that 20 bucks could very well save you from feeling like you missed out in a year's time.
Bear this in mind when Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders begin at midnight on June 25 (local time) ahead of the game's launch on November 19 for Xbox Series X and Series S and PlayStation 5.
With protagonist Fox McCloud appearing in a surprise cameo in the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it’s clear that Nintendo wants to bring its niche on-rail space shooter series to a wider audience. To that end, this new Star Fox makes a lot of sense. It’s a remake of the 1997 title Star Fox 64, which is beloved by fans and a good starting point if you’ve never played one of the games before.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 Release date: June 25, 2026
The problem for me is that this is far from the first time that Nintendo has brought Star Fox 64 back. I grew up with the Nintendo 3DS, and experienced it as Star Fox 64 3D. This was followed by some hands-on time with the Wii U reimagining Star Fox Zero,and then finally a playthrough of the original release when it came to Nintendo Switch via Nintendo Switch Online.
Every single mainline Star Fox game that’s come out since I was about eight years old has been a version of Star Fox 64, and now, as an adult, I’m getting yet another one in Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2.
I really wish the gaming giant had been a little bolder with this release, adding even just a smidge of new gameplay to freshen up the old campaign. Still, Star Fox 64 is a cult classic for a reason, and thanks to its strong base, this remake is still plenty of fun to play through for what is, hopefully, one last time
Into the Lylat Wars
(Image credit: Nintendo)
The premise is simple, if a little unconventional. You’re a dashing fox in a universe populated by anthropomorphic animals where civilization has managed to crack space colonization despite an apparent lack of opposable thumbs.
Rather than rooting through sci-fi bins, you’re the leader of a mercenary squad (staffed by you, the bird-like Falco, the lagomorphic Peppy, and slimy Slippy toad) that lends its services to the highest bidder — in this case an intergalactic army that’s waging war against the evil scientist dictator Andross.
Fully voiced and animated cutscenes to convey all this information are one of this remake’s biggest new additions, and they feel like a natural inclusion. They’re not super long or expansive by any means, but all flow well and are decently acted throughout even if there are a few moments where the animation can look a bit cheap.
They provide some much-needed downtime in between each of the levels, which are hectic, high-score challenges that see you steering your ship, the Arwing, through intense battles. The action unfurls in a largely on-rails format, but that doesn't mean that this isn’t a degree of strategy to it.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
You can swerve all across the screen, hitting barrel rolls to deflect incoming fire and blasting your laser canons. Your craft very much exists in a 3D space, so enemies often come up behind you, requiring evasive maneuvers like somersaults or hitting the brakes.
There's a boost too, which, deployed at the right time, can see you zooming under falling debris or through closing gaps — often picking up a power-up or two in the process. It’s all remarkably smooth to control, and sections where you pilot other vehicles keep the stages feeling fresh.
Each campaign is extremely short, taking just over an hour to complete, and has you working your way through a map of the galaxy littered with 16 unique planets.
Best bit
(Image credit: Nintendo)
The challenge mode lets you replay all of the levels from the campaign but with some new tricky objectives. These reward you with unlocks like profile badges and lore to read, and I can already see it being a huge hit with completionists.
You can’t visit all of them in one playthrough, which, alongside the two main story paths, gives you plenty of reasons to replay it at least a couple of times. That said even when you bear that in mind, the experience is still pretty fleeting and doesn’t feel befitting of the $49.99 / £41.99 / AU$84.95 digital (or $59.99 / £44.99 / AU$99.95 physical) asking price.
This is especially true if you’ve played all the other versions of Star Fox 64, as you’re basically just paying for a new, admittedly quite pretty, coat of paint.
There is thankfully a new battle mode to try out, and it’s pretty good on the whole. It’s in an online 4v4 player versus player (PvP) format, with one team playing as the Star Fox squad and the other cast as their rivals Star Wolf. Each of the three maps has its own associated game mode, ranging from simple control point capture to fighting to drag limited space cargo back to base.
I’ve had a great time with it so far, though I can imagine that online populations will quickly dwindle given the small map pool. Hopefully a post-launch update will add some more.
Should I play Star Fox?
Play it if...
You’ve never tried Star Fox 64 If you’ve never experienced Star Fox 64 before, then Star Fox is the best version that’s readily available right now. The updated graphics are pleasant, and it feels fantastic to control.
You find it on sale My main issue with Star Fox is its high asking price. If you can find it heavily discounted, then it’s well worth picking up.
Don't play it if...
You’re sick of the Nintendo 64 game If you’ve played the previous Star Fox 64 remakes, then I would recommend skipping Star Fox. It looks pleasant, sure, but it really doesn't add much new beyond its cutscenes.
Accessibility features
As with most first-party Nintendo releases, the accessibility features here are thin. Subtitles are used throughout the game, though their appearance cannot be customized. You can invert the axis of the control scheme and disable features like controller rumble, but that’s basically it.
How I reviewed Star Fox
I played Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 for roughly eight hours, experiencing all of its major campaign routes, unlocking every planet, and trying out challenge mode.
I also dived into its multiplayer offering, using my earlier hands-on experience with other players when trying it at Nintendo HQ and testing matches against bots. I mainly played the game in handheld mode using the Joy-Con 2 controllers, though I did briefly test it in docked mode on a 4K Samsung TV to ensure the performance and Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller support is up to scratch.
Developer Rockstar Games has announced the price of Grand Theft Auto 6
The standard edition will cost $79.99
The Ultimate Edition will be available for $99.99
Developer Rockstar Games has announced the price of the highly anticipated upcoming game Grand Theft Auto 6, and it's not as bad as some were expecting.
A new press release states that the standard edition of the game will retail for $79.99 (which presumably means a £79.99 price point in the UK and around AU$125 in Australia). The more premium Ultimate Edition will then cost $99.99 and will come with some digital bonus content.
As per the official Rockstar site, Ultimate Edition buyers will get their hands on an "exclusive collection" of in-game items, including a selection of unique vehicles, matching revolvers for the protagonist duo, bonus customization options for guns, vehicles, and clothing, and more.
Anyone who purchases either edition before November 20, 2026 will get their hands on the Vintage Vice City Pack downloadable content (DLC) as well. This nets you the '55 Vapid Stanier sedan vehicle, a garage on Ocean Beach, and some retro outfits and hairstyles for the two playable characters. This is on top of a charming weapon pattern inspired by Vice City hero Tommy Vercetti's iconic shirt.
A fair price?
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
This news comes after months of speculation regarding how much the games will cost, with some analysts suggesting that it could cost as much as $100 to buy. With that in mind, the starting price of $79.99, while higher than that for most games, doesn't seem that bad.
Many developers also reportedly hoped that Rockstar would break the existing '$70 barrier'. With most AAA releases priced at $69.99 / £69.99, there's a chance that this announcement will kickstart a trend of $79.99 games. We'll just have to wait and see whether other companies follow suit.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to release on November 19, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S. Pre-orders will begin on June 25 at midnight local time.
The press release does state that the physical version of GTA 6 will be released early on November 12 in order to support pre-loading, and will contain "a download code inside the box" rather than a standard physical game.
If you're interested in placing a physical pre-order as quickly as possible, you can save the search links below.
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