The Biggest Pokémon Card Crashers And Climbers This Week - July 14

Scarlet and Violet base set prices have been anything but steady lately, with some Illustration Rares climbing fast while SIRs cool off just as quickly. I’ve been tracking a handful of cards that stood out this month, with some pulling in surprising gains and others dropping harder than expected. Here’s a quick look at which Pokémon TCG cards are crashing and climbing ahead of the final Scarlet and Violet sets release in Black Bolt and White Flare.

Pokémon TCG Crashers

I've been keeping an eye on Scarlet and Violet base set prices lately, and the Psychic-type Illustration Rares seem to be the ones pulling ahead. Ralts 211/198 has been quietly climbing. It's sitting around $38.99 now, which is up about 28% this month. For a Basic card with simple art and a single Psyshot attack, that's not something I saw coming. Same goes for Kirlia 212/198. It's up to $27.99, mirroring Ralts's percentage jump. That evolution line seems to be gaining popularity as a set, more than just individual play value.

Speaking of evolutions, Gardevoir ex 245/198 is definitely riding that same wave. It’s hit $54.99 recently, up from $41.19 just a month back. I don’t play Gardevoir myself, but the Psychic Embrace ability keeps showing up in deck lists, so the price hike makes sense when you look at both collector and competitive demand feeding into each other. Miraidon ex 244/198 and Koraidon ex 247/198 are seeing their own upticks, both sitting around $23.99 now. Not massive jumps compared to Gardevoir, but steady enough to notice if you’ve been following these since launch. Miraidon especially, thanks to that Tandem Unit ability, looks like it’s still holding value in Lightning-heavy builds.

Pokémon TCG Climbers

On the other end of things, some cards are definitely cooling off. Fidough 213/198 took a 15% hit, now hovering around $13.74. Cute card, but it doesn’t exactly have a standout ability or attack, so this feels more like a natural correction. Armarouge 203/198 dipped too, though only about 11%. I could see it regaining some ground later if Fire decks make a comeback, but for now, it’s sliding. Pachirisu 208/198’s price drop caught my attention more, which is currently down 19%. I feel like that’s tied to Lightning deck meta shifting around; its no-Paralysis ability isn’t moving the needle price-wise anymore.

Dondozo 207/198 and Starly 221/198 both saw the sharpest drops, each now at $9.99. Dondozo lost 30% this month, and Starly even more at 37%. I never really saw much hype for either of these beyond early Scarlet and Violet excitement, so the fall-off doesn’t surprise me. It feels like folks are figuring out what’s actually playable or collectible long-term.

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Preorders

This is it, the beggining of a new expansion for Pokémon TCG. Best Buy have gone live with their preorder allocation for Mega Evolutions today, which mean Target and Walmart won't be far behind. Here's all the links you need and good luck trainers!

Pokémon TCG Price Updates

I can't believe I'm writing this, but Amazon has quite a bit of sealed Pokémon TCG product for under market value. Whilst that unfortunately means it's still way above MSRP, some of these sets are at the best prices they've been in the last month.

Last Weeks Crashers and Climbers

As newer Pokémon TCG sets grab the spotlight, Paradox Rift is seeing its high-rarity SIR ex cards drop in value while several Illustration Rares quietly climb due to shifting collector interest and low inventory. Cards like Altaria ex, Gholdengo ex, and Steelix have dropped between 16% and 25%, while Illustration Rares including Morpeko, Plusle, Minun, Groudon, and Iron Valiant ex are climbing fast, with Morpeko leading at a 43% increase. This mirrors earlier trends where less flashy cards gain traction as availability tightens.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

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Woot Is Having a Post-Prime Day Sale on Puzzles and Board Games

Amazon's Prime Day sale this year was pretty good overall for casual board game and puzzle enthusiasts. There were discounts on quite a few popular games and many popular jigsaw puzzle brands had all-time low prices. But if you happened to have miss all of those deals, Woot is currently having a small sale of its own that gives you a second chance at savings.

There aren't a ton of options in this sale, but there are enough to make it noteworthy. Some of the best deals available here are on 3D puzzles and some lesser known board games, so I'd suggest checking those out first. The popular LEGO board game that was on sale during Prime Day was also included, but has already sold out.

Puzzles and Board Games on Sale Today

Woot has a landing page for all of the discounts currently offered in its sale, and I recommend you just peruse it yourself to see if there's anything of interest to you. Like I mentioned above, there aren't that many things available in this sale. The board game side of the discounts are especially lacking in some of our favorite options, but there are still some family games worth picking up in here. The overall best deals are on 3D puzzle builds that are collaborations with popular franchises like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Marvel, and Star Wars. These types of puzzles are excellent LEGO alternatives that were already fairly affordable before getting extra discounted here.

What is Woot?

If you aren't familiar with Woot, the easiest way to learn more about it is through the about page on its website. In a nutshell, Woot is a daily deals site that was founded back in 2004 and later purchased by Amazon. They offer deals on just about everything that many other retailers don't often have. The products themselves are always high-quality and backed by Amazon, so it's legit. Prime members even get free standard shipping on anything they buy on Woot, so you don't need to worry about hitting a minimum price or total shipping costs if you already have Prime.

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PSA: Donkey Kong Bananza Spoilers Have Hit the Internet, After Early Copies Land in Fans' Hands

Donkey Kong Bananza spoilers are being spread online, after early copies of the game have turned up in the hands of several fans.

Story details that players will want to keep as a surprise for themselves are now circulating on the internet, as seen by IGN — though we will not be sharing them here.

Instead, we'd strongly advise Nintendo fans be careful where they click over the coming days, in the run-up to Donkey Kong Bananza's official launch date this Thursday, July 17.

While it may seem odd to raise a note of caution over story spoilers for a Donkey Kong platformer, this new blockbuster title from key members of Nintendo's Super Mario Odyssey development team is shaping up to be something special.

There has already been intense speculation over whether Bananza is some kind of Odyssey prequel, based on the inclusion of key character Pauline, and Nintendo's unusual decision to detail her age in the new game.

Indeed, when IGN asked Bananza's producer Kenta Motokura and director Kazuya Takahashi specifically about these points, the pair said that these were questions players should be considering as they played the game.

"Certainly because a lot of team members also worked on Super Mario Odyssey, there are some similarities in terms of how they think about the setting of the characters for both games," Takahashi told IGN.

"But it's something we really can't explain all of for now because we need to leave something for people to consider as they're playing the game," he continued. It's probably better you find out by playing it, then, rather than on a random internet forum!

We spoke to Motokura and Takahashi about a number of topics related to Bananza, including how the game was first conceived and the necessity of releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2. You can read our entire interview in full right here, and check out our hands-on preview of the game here.

And in other Donkey Kong news, a Nintendo copyright notice has been spotted for an unannounced Donkey Kong film — something which fans suspect may arrive as a spin-off from the blockbuster Super Mario Bros. Movie and its upcoming sequel.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Nintendo Has Filed a Copyright Notice for an 'Untitled Donkey Kong Motion Picture'

Nintendo has filed a copyright notice for an unannounced Donkey Kong film, in collaboration with Universal Pictures.

The filing, for a "Untitled Donkey Kong Project; Motion Picture" lists Nintendo Studios LLC as the copyright holder, alongside Universal Pictures.

Nintendo Studios is of course Nintendo's own in-house arm dedicated to turning its own franchises into big screen hits, while Universal Pictures is Nintendo's animation partner (through its Minions-making Illumination studio) behind the box office breaking Super Mario Bros. Movie.

There have long been rumblings of a Donkey Kong-starring spin-off to Nintendo's big screen Mario blockbuster, though it's believed that the next Mario film is more of a straight sequel — and reportedly titled Super Mario World.

So, what's this? Fans think that the filing, originally lodged in May this year, points to a further project due out after Nintendo's next main Mario film. And some are even speculating that this is the start of a Nintendo Cinematic Universe, with various stars getting their own solo movies while being part of the same franchise.

The news comes just days before the launch of Nintendo's big new Nintendo Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananaza. With a more cinematic focus and hints that this game might offer more of a storyline, could the Donkey Kong movie link into elements of its narrative?

For now, Nintendo is keeping quiet about much its big screen plans (which also include a separate, live-action production to adapt The Legend of Zelda). But we did recently get a brief update on the next Super Mario Bros. film, which is set to launch on April 3, 2026.

"We have reached a point where we are confident that the new movie will be an entertaining film, so we have announced its theatrical release for next spring," Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto said of the upcoming second Mario Bros. movie, during last month's Nintendo investors Q&A.

"We do not want to set a release date first and then force the production schedule to meet it. This is similar to game development; we want to release something that we are confident will satisfy our consumers. I always tell our teams to 'work for the consumer, not for your boss'."

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition Dev Says Replaced Space Marine Scream Was 'Even More Beloved Than We Realized' as Intro Cinematic Changes Spark Backlash

It is perhaps the most beloved intro cinematic in Warhammer 40,000 video game history, a precious relic of a bygone era that is seared into the memories of fans of Games Workshop’s grimdark setting. And woe betide anyone who dares to change it, lest the wrath of all four Chaos gods descend upon them.

That’s how I imagine the developers at Relic Entertainment felt after releasing a high quality version of Dawn of War’s iconic intro cinematic to accompany the announcement of the August 14 release date of the Definitive Edition.

The video, below, reveals the insertion of dialogue from the 2004 Dawn of War real-time strategy game into its intro cinematic, replacing some of the original audio along the way. Chief among the changes is the removal of an “iconic” (at least, for Warhammer 40,000 fans!) guttural scream bellowed by the Space Marine who leads the forces of the Blood Ravens to battle against the monstrous Orks.

In its stead is the battlecry of Gabriel Angelos, Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens, as it is heard in Dawn of War gameplay. The thing is, that’s not even Gabriel Angelos screaming in the trailer. It’s a Blood Raven sergeant. And, Dawn of War fans say, the new dialogue compares poorly to the heroic scream it replaced.

But that’s not all. Those with keen hearing and an even keener memory will notice other audio changes. The Dreadnought’s dramatic entrance is “ruined,” some say, by the addition of voice lines that distract from the heart-pumping sound of its Assault Cannon revving up and unleashing on the enemy lines. New Ork lines are inserted, too.

“THEY'VE RUINED IT! THEY REMOVED THE SERGEANT'S HOLY SCREAM!” declared one Emperor-living fanatic in the YouTube comments.

“The original sound effects were PERFECT. You didn't need to add all those voices. I'll be honest, they kind of ruined it,” said another devotee.

“Makes it feel less well done and not as cohesive. They just seemed so out of place and you can tell they're just shoved on top.”

“The new audio is awful. Really takes me out of it.”

“Leaving the sergeant's scream out is a crime against humanity, and therefore heresy.”

“Mind fixing the cinematic by restoring the original audio? The new stuff spliced in doesn't work at all and it kinda ruins the nostalgia for us. Hopefully it can be reverted by launch,” said another, perhaps more considered worshipper.

Perhaps that’s exactly what Relic will do. I asked the developer for comment on this online complaint barrage, and its response suggested the whole thing has taken the studio by surprise.

“We decided to change the scream as the original audio was quite distorted which was notable when compared to some of the audio touch ups in the enhanced trailer. That said, we’ve heard the feedback from fans — the roar was even more beloved than we realized! Who knows, we may have something for OG roar enjoyers before long.”

So, it sounds like Relic has a solution up its sleeve, which will hopefully go some way to placating the wrath of Warhammer 40,000’s passionate fanbase. I realize, however, that for the uninitiated, all this fuss may sound like an overreaction. All we're talking about here are a few audio changes, after all.

But there’s something unmistakingly gritty about the original intro trailer’s look, feel, and, yes, old-school audio. It reminds fans of a time in PC gaming’s history when RTS ruled the roost, the Astra Militarum were called the Imperial Guard, and Warhammer 40,000 superfan Henry Cavill had just finished filming Hellraiser: Hellworld. The original rekindles memories of hazy summer days spent hammering out Heretics, my flatmate desperately trying to outmaneuver my attacks. This new and “improved” intro cinematic is too clean, too… nice, and it will always be too recent.

None of this is to say Relic’s Dawn of War Definitive Edition is on a hiding to nothing. I’m genuinely excited to play it, and not just for a short-lived trip down memory lane. It’s a fantastic game — perhaps the greatest Warhammer 40,000 video game ever made — and I look forward to hammering out those Heretics all over again. Perhaps I’ll even convince my old flatmate to join me.

Back to the trailer! I interviewed design director Philippe Boulle back in May when the Definitive Edition was announced, and we gushed over Dawn of War’s intro cinematic. Here’s why it’s so good, according to Boulle:

“It was an amazing accomplishment at the time in terms of the fidelity. We really hadn't seen that for 40K at that time, and it really stood up as something that would reach out and grab you and say, ‘Hey, this is awesome. You need to pay attention.’ And it will still be in the game. It will be playing in beautiful 4K.

“The thing that amazes me about it when we look back at it is the directing really holds up. That I think is the undervalued key to it. For the time the rendering was phenomenal, but what really holds up is the pacing, the drama, the ending on this guy running up the hill and getting shot, planting that flag and the drop pods coming down… that just works and that didn't need any changing obviously. That just was like, ‘Oh yeah, that's the stuff.’”

Fun fact! Dave Wilson, executive producer and supervising director of the excellent Warhammer 40,000 episode of Prime Video’s Secret Level animated anthology series, led the creation of the Dawn of War intro cinematic.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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Walmart Has the Best Mario Switch Game Deal After Prime Day

While Prime Day may be over, there are still some great deals live at other retailers. Dozens of major video games were on sale this year, especially for Nintendo Switch. If you're on the hunt for a new Switch game still on sale, look no further than Super Mario Odyssey. Walmart has the masterpiece available for $39.39 today, and it's hard to beat this price, as Nintendo rarely puts its first-party games on sale.

Grab Super Mario Odyssey for $39 at Walmart

Super Mario Odyssey stars Mario and his newfound companion Cappy as the two travel across numerous Kingdoms to stop Bowser's plans of marrying Princess Peach. It's an adventure filled with countless gameplay mechanics, challenges, and charm. The star of the show is Cappy, as he allows Mario to take control of enemies and objects in the environment thanks to the Capture mechanic.

I spent over 140 hours in my initial playthrough of Mario Odyssey, as I hunted down every single Moon available in the game. Even almost eight years later, Super Mario Odyssey is still one of my favorite Nintendo Switch games. Between Moons and Purple Coins, there is no shortage of content to discover, so you'll be occupied for dozens of hours after the credits roll.

What We Said in Our Review

In our 10/10 review of Super Mario Odyssey, Ryan McCaffrey wrote: "Mario’s games have been around for almost as long as game consoles have been a thing, but thankfully, he’s always evolving. We rarely get the same Mario twice. Super Mario Odyssey delivers on that ongoing promise of originality and innovation: It distills the venerable series’ joyful, irreverent world and characters and best-in-class platforming action, and introduces a steady stream of new and unexpected mechanics. It’s all spun together into a generational masterpiece."

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

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The Best Deals Today: AirPods Pro 2, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, Apple Watch Series 10, and More

We've rounded up the best deals for Sunday, July 13, below, so don't miss out on these limited-time offers.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $149

Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still $100 off after Prime Day, and it's hard to argue that there is any other deal better than this right now. For $149, you are getting some of the best and most convenient earbuds out there, which are perfect for taking calls, listening to music, and so much more.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake for $34.99

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was one of the most enjoyable RPGs of 2024, featuring a gorgeous remade HD-2D world and voice acting. If you haven't had the chance to check this one out yet, Amazon has Nintendo Switch copies available for only $34.99. In my opinion, the Switch has to be the definitive way to experience this classic, and now is the perfect time to catch up before Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake this Fall.

Save Big on Samsung Gaming Monitors

Woot has two excellent Samsung gaming monitors on sale this weekend, and you can save up to $900! The first monitor we recommend is the 32" Samsung Odyssey G8, which is fitted with a QD-OLED panel and supports a refresh rate of 240Hz. This monitor is best for the richest visuals, as the OLED technology allows for true blacks. On the other hand, the Samsung G9 49" Curved OLED Gaming Monitor is a beast that will instantly transform any setup. While this monitor is normally $1899.99, you can score it for just $999.99 this weekend.

Batman: Arkham Trilogy for $29.83

The Batman: Arkham games are some of the most beloved superhero games out there, and the ability to play them on the Nintendo Switch is a treat in itself. Arkham Knight notoriously ran poorly on the Switch, but the Switch 2 has ironed out most of these issues seemingly thanks to its increased power. For $29.83, you can pick up the trilogy for under $10 a game, which is a pretty great deal considering this was a $60 release.

Donkey Kong Bananza Out This Week

Donkey Kong Bananza is out this week, so now is the time to lock in your copy. Bananza is set to be DK's biggest adventure yet, and this time, he's joined by a young Pauline. The two are tasked with heading to the very core of the planet, where wishes are supposedly granted. If you are looking for the next big game on Nintendo Switch 2, this right here is sure to be it.

Ghost in the Shell 4K for $12.49

1995's Ghost in the Shell is still one of the most influential anime films ever. Amazon has the 4K Blu-ray available for only $12.49 this weekend, and it's hard to beat that. If you've never seen this beloved film, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Request A Nintendo Switch 2 Invitation on Amazon

Amazon has at last listed the Nintendo Switch 2, and you can request an invite to purchase the console now. Once you are selected, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the system to your cart and purchase it. There is no telling when these invites will run out, so I recommend requesting one, even if you might purchase the Switch 2 elsewhere.

Super Mario Odyssey for $39

Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best games of all time, and it's well worth it even at $39. We rarely see this game go on sale, so it's an easy recommendation each time it does. With Nintendo Switch 2 enhancements already live, now is the time to jump in and explore various Kingdoms with Cappy if you haven't already.

Apple Watch Series 10 for $279

Finally, you can score an Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) for $279.99. That's $120 off the MSRP, and the lowest price we've seen this device at so far. Series 10 includes features like Sleep Apnea detection, a wide-angle OLED display, a temperature sensor, and more. If you don't have interest in the Apple Watch Ultra, this model will bring most of its features for just a third of the price.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

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