IT General

It's been nearly 30 years since hockey player Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) first swung a golf club and became an unlikely champ. Now, he's back on the golf course for Happy Gilmore 2.

According to the sequel's first trailer, Happy hasn't been golfing for a while. "I haven't swung a club in years," he says.

SEE ALSO: Adam Sandler's 'Happy Gilmore' sequel Instagram post harnesses the good energy, blocks out the bad

Still, that's not going to stop him from facing off against new top golfers — in a Bruins jersey, of course. He's just going to have to make sure he updates his happy place to "something a little more age-appropriate" first.

Sandler isn't the only star returning from the original Happy Gilmore. Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller are all slated to reprise their roles. Happy Gilmore 2 also welcomes new faces, like music superstar Bad Bunny as Happy's new caddy, as well as Travis Kelce, Eminem, and more. Several real-life golf pros are also set to star, including John Daly, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Bryson DeChambeau. Catch them (and Happy!) in action above.

Happy Gilmore 2 hits Netflix July 25.

The best iPad deals ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale: Best iPad deal Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) $269 (save $80) Get Deal Best iPad Pro deal Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) $919 (save $80) Get Deal Best iPad Mini deal Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 512GB) $699 (save $100) Get Deal Best iPad Air deal Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $698 (save $101) Get Deal

Spring has sprung over at Amazon, with the retailer throwing a Big Spring Sale on March 25-31. This selection is set to include quite a few Apple deals, so if you've been hoping to scoop up some new tech from Apple at a low price, this will be a great time to do it.

SEE ALSO: Every foldable iPhone and iPad rumor we've heard so far

But you might not need to wait, because quite a few iPad models have been discounted ahead of the Big Spring Sale. This includes the 10th Gen iPad, the iPad Air, iPad Mini, and iPad Pro. We've included some of the best early iPad discounts that have caught our eye below, and will continue updating this list with the best discounts as they go live.

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) $269 at Amazon
$349 Save $80 Get Deal Why we like it

This is one the best iPad deals available at the moment. The 10th-gen iPad — with the A14 Bionic chip, 64GB of storage, and WiFi — is currently down to $269. This is $80 off its list price of $349. We consider this tablet to be the best iPad on a budget, saying in our roundup of the best iPads that "The iPad (10th generation) doesn't possess the flair of the Pro or Air, but it's a testament that Apple can still produce good entry-level tech."

If you're not looking for anything fancy and want a tablet to cover the basics, the 10th-gen iPad will get you where you need to go. And at this price? It's definitely worth picking up.

More iPad dealsiPad

• Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) — $299 $349 (save $50)

• Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 256GB) — $429 $499 (save $70)

iPad Air

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) — $698 $799 (save $101)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 512GB) — $796.94 $899 (save $102.06)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi, 256GB) — $798 $899 (save $101)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi + Cellular, 128GB) — $849 $949 (Save $100)

iPad mini

• Apple iPad Mini (A15 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) — $453.49 $499 (save $45.51)

• Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 512GB) — $699 $799 (save $100)

iPad Pro

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $919 $999 (save $80)

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,099 $1,199 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,185 $1,299 (Save $114)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,334.06 $1,499 (save $164.94)

The best Apple AirTag deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale: Best Bundle Deal Apple AirTags (4-Pack) $69.99 (save $29.01) Get Deal Best Solo Deal Apple AirTag $24 (save $5) Get Deal Best Accessories Deal Apple AirTag Loop $24.99 (save $4.01) Get Deal Best Alternative Deal Tile by Life360 Mate 4-Pack $55.99 (save $24) Get Deal

Ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, the retailer is offering some fantastic deals on a variety of items. Apple devices, in particular, have seen some very nice discounts, including Apple AirTags. These little devices are a lifesaver when it comes to keeping track of your items, allowing you to quickly find anything you've misplaced that's been tagged. If you've been hoping to grab one, or more, you can save on them right now ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

We've included a few of our favorite AirTag deals below, from the multi-pack to a solo tag. We've also listed some alternative deals in the event that the AirTags sell out. Have a look, stock up, and feel comfortable knowing you can keep a better eye on your devices.

The best AirTag deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $69.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $29.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Why have one AirTag when you can have four? This multi-pack is a great investment so you can have multiple AirTags right away to attach to various items. This is a great price, only $5.50 away from their lowest-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. We consider Apple's AirTags to be among the best Bluetooth trackers, so why not stock up with this four-pack while it's on sale?

More Apple AirTag deals:

• Apple AirTag (1-Pack) — $24 $29 (save $5)

The best AirTag accessories deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag Loop $24.99 at Amazon
$29 Save $4.01 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for an easier way to attach your AirTag to your bag or a keychain, this AirTag Loop is worth picking up. It has a lightweight design that keeps a secure hold on the AirTag inside so you can attach it to an item without any fear of it popping out or getting lost somewhere else. There are two color options to choose from as well: a lovely capri blue and a vibrant pink citrus. We've listed a few more worthy AirTag accessory deals below.

More deals on AirTag accessories:

• QyQa Airtag Holder (4-Pack) — $7.12 $9.98 (save $2.86)

• Belkin Apple AirTag Secure Holder with Carabiner — $14.99 $19.99 (save $5)

• MOLOSLEEVE Airtag Holder Air Tag Case with Keychain 4-Pack — $9.99 $12.99 (save $3)

The best AirTag alternatives deal Opens in a new window Credit: Tile Tile by Life360 Mate (2024), 4-Pack (Black) $55.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $24.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Tile Mate trackers also rank among our picks for the best Bluetooth trackers because, "in our testing, we found it to be a reliable GPS tracker that works equally well for iOS and Android." If you're looking for some alternative trackers to pick up ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, these are well worth a look, especially the Tile Mate four-pack we've listed above so you can pick up multiple trackers for a little less.

More deals on AirTag alternatives:

• Tile by Life360 Mate, 1-Pack — $17.99 $24.99 (save $7)

• Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 — $23.25 $29.99 (save $6.74)

• Tile by Life360 Mate (2024), 2-Pack (Black/White) — $31.99 $44.99 (save $13)

• Tile by Life360 Starter Pack (2024), 2-Pack (Black Mate/Slim) — $34.99 $49.99 (save $15)

• Tile by Life360 Essentials (2024), 4-Pack (Mates/Slim/Sticker) — $52.99 $74.99 (save $22)

Roku has apparently found an entirely new way to anger its users by showing them ads before the home screen loads.

The new ads have been highlighted in a Reddit thread full of users talking about throwing their device "in the trash" or looking for ways to "publicly shame" the company.

"Hello! I just turned on my Roku and got an unskippable ad for a movie, before I got to the regular Roku homescreen. Has anyone else experienced this," asked the thread's creator. Judging by the comments below, other users have indeed experienced this, and it's hard to find one that's happy about it. (Update: the ad apparently can be skipped, though it's not clear how obvious this is to users.)

Featured Video For You In Memoriam: The tech that died in 2024

Roku confirmed the move to Ars Technica, calling it a "test."

"Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience," a spokesperson told the outlet. There's no word on whether the test could turn into a permanent feature, though.

On Roku's official forum, users are also voicing their opinion about the new ad type.

"I trashed all of my Amazon boxes years ago because of this garbage. If it keeps up, my Rokus will be next," wrote one user. "... today when I went to use the device it tried to force me to watch an ad before I could select my ap. This is unacceptable and if it continues, I'm trashing this device," wrote another.

SEE ALSO: Subscriptions are for streaming services, not your spreadsheets

We've asked Roku for more details about the test, and will update this article when we hear back. In the meantime, this seems to be a good blueprint for streaming companies of what not to do if they want to keep their users.

UPDATE: Mar. 18, 2025, 2:55 p.m. CET Roku got back to us with the following statement: "Roku delivers the best value and experience for our 90M and growing TV streaming households. This has and will always require continuous testing and innovation across design, navigation, content, and our first-rate advertising products. Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience."

Best early Amazon Big Spring Sale deals on AirPods: Best AirPods Pro deal Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199.00 (save $50) Get Deal Best AirPods Max deal Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 (save $69.01) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods 4 deal Apple AirPods 4 $117.00 (save $12) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods 4 with ANC deal Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation $148.99 (save $30.01) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) deal Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) $137.99 (save $31.01) Get Deal

Amazon's kicking off the season in style with its Big Spring Sale, offering excellent discounts for shoppers to check out from March 25-31. If you've been waiting for Apple products to drop to low prices after the holiday season, this is your chance to scoop them up for less. AirPods, in particular, have seen some great discounts ahead of the Big Spring Sale and we've included all of the best deals here. You can find deals on everything from the AirPods Max headphones to the latest AirPods 4.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best noise-cancelling headphones we use and love

We're tracking all the best AirPods deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale below. Bookmark this page and keep checking back — we'll be adding new deals as they drop.

Best AirPods Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 have plenty to offer, including Active Noise Cancelation, hearing protection options, personalized spatial audio, and so much more. If you've had them on your shopping list, they've dropped down to $199 at Amazon, saving you 20% off their original list price of $249.

Best AirPods Max deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 at Amazon
$549 Save $69.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Max.

If headphones are more your style, the AirPods Max with USB-C are also on sale right now ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale. They've dropped down $69.01 from their list price of $549 to $479.99. If you've had your eye on them, this is a great time to pick them up. We think they're a worthy investment as well, stating in our review that "the AirPods Max check off almost all the boxes for what makes an excellent pair of headphones: great sound quality, ideal battery life, easy controls, and a stylish design (sans Smart Case)."

Best AirPods 4 deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $117 at Amazon
$129 Save $12 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple's latest AirPods, the AirPods 4, have dropped to $117, which is a nice little deal to take advantage of if you've had them on your radar for some time. Keep in mind, though, that these are the earbuds without Active Noise Cancelation. If you'd prefer to have the models with noise-cancelation, the good news is you can score those at a discount right now as well! We've listed those earbud options below.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale AirPods deals

• Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) — $137.99 $169.00 (save $31.01)

• Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) — $148.99 $179 (save $30.01)

I didn’t need to be sold on Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, but after a couple dozen hours with one of the largest and coolest games Nintendo has ever made, one moment cemented this remaster as one of the very best games on Nintendo Switch for me.

It came after I decided to get a little adventurous. Following excursions into three of the game’s five gorgeous, ecologically diverse continents, I decided to take things further and go north to Sylvalum, a region defined by alabaster white sand and spherical trees that glow at night. Getting there was a journey in and of itself, requiring me to duck and weave between enemies that could kill me in just one or two hits if they noticed me. 

But then I got there, and Sylvalum’s incredible theme music kicked in. By this point, I’m already locked the hell in. I ventured further into the continent, eventually finding an enormous lake shallow enough for me to walk across. Suddenly, the weather became oppressively misty, reducing visibility to near zero. As I carefully trotted across the lake, I found myself running underneath the legs of a gargantuan alien stag the size of a large building. It didn’t want anything to do with me, but seeing that thing emerge from the mist was a jump-scare that drove home how genuinely dangerous and alien Xenoblade X’s setting can be at its best. 

I'm so glad this dude was non-hostile. Credit: Nintendo

Xenoblade X, originally released on Wii U for what felt like an audience of about 27 people in 2015, is all about moments like this, little reminders of how physically small and cosmically insignificant humans are. I’ve never played another open-world game that so routinely makes the player feel like an ant in the coolest way possible. The alien planet of Mira, on which the game is set, was not meant for our feet, and Xenoblade X reminds you of this at every opportunity.

All of that was true of the Wii U original, and remains true with this new Switch release. To leave it there would do a disservice to developer Monolith Soft, though. Rather than making a simple remaster with cleaned up visuals and some UI tweaks, Monolith Soft went about seven extra miles. Thanks to substantial and tasteful reconsiderations of various menus and systems, as well as thrilling new story material, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is truly the way to play this almost-forgotten classic. You can finally put your Wii U in the closet for good.

Man in the Mira

Xenoblade X, which is narratively unrelated to the numbered trilogy I’ve gushed about on this website before, has kind of a bummer of an opening. Before you can even take control of your player-created silent protagonist, Earth has been destroyed in the crossfire of a war between two hostile alien civilizations. We weren’t even part of the fight; we just got in the way of it. 

To make matters worse, seemingly only one colony ship managed to slip away in all the chaos: the White Whale. After some more alien war nonsense, the White Whale makes an emergency crash landing on the uncharted planet Mira. The survivors manage to retrofit the ship’s habitat area into a half-built city called New Los Angeles. They get to work not only on figuring out how to survive on Mira, but also on retrieving the Lifehold, a lost part of the White Whale that is the key to the future of the human race. 

Transplanting suburban American culture to another planet is a really goofy idea. Credit: Nintendo

While that is a solid jumping-off point for a JRPG story, not even a terrific remaster can save Xenoblade X from its biggest foibles. Namely, the main story takes a really long time to find its footing. Sure, it sprinkles in some interesting reveals early on, enough to keep the player invested, but this is not the kind of strong, character-driven, emotional storytelling you’d find in a numbered Xenoblade game. Monolith Soft has gotten a lot better at visual presentation in the decade since this game came out on Wii U, and it shows. A great deal of the story in Xenoblade X is delivered through wooden conversation scenes where anywhere between three and six people stand still in a circle for a while. It’s no match for the excellent cutscene direction of something like Xenoblade 3.

Luckily, there’s plenty of charming and funny writing to be found in Xenoblade X’s treasure trove of side quests, which you absolutely should take the time to do. The main story does eventually find some interesting thematic ground to cover (who gets to leave Earth before its destruction, and who gets to choose?), it just takes too long to get there. 

Nintendo would probably prefer it if I didn’t spoil the new story stuff, which largely takes place after the original game’s unsatisfying cliffhanger ending. Without going too much into what happens in it, the new chapter is a more conclusive coda to the adventure than what was there before. It’s also thematically more in line with the other Xenoblade games, full of achingly sincere emotional beats about the existence of gods, angels, and even Heaven itself. 

And yes, fans of the other three Xenoblades will find plenty to pick through and theorize about in YouTube essays and Reddit threads in the years to come.

Be prepared to do a lot of quests The whole game is full of sights like this. Credit: Nintendo

Just like the original Wii U version, Xenoblade X Definitive Edition opens with a fairly limiting creation suite for the player character, who is a voiceless, amnesiac husk with no apparent stakes in anything that’s happening. Monolith Soft has upgraded the character creator with some new visual options, but it’s still got very rigid male/female gender options that feel out of step with where RPGs have gone in the decade since this game first came out. I understand that it’s probably very difficult to offer extensive pronoun options in a game with voice acting that was recorded more than a decade ago, but the lack of things like that does stand out now.

Regardless, once you make your little dude and go through a fairly stiff and awkward tutorial chapter, Xenoblade X sets you off on an open-ended quest to explore Mira and help humanity build a new home for itself. There is a linear series of main story chapters to complete, but accessing them (especially in the later stages of the story) often requires the player to complete seemingly optional missions or otherwise engage with its many systems.

These usually include affinity missions, each of which revolves around a different playable party member, of which there are more than 20. Affinity missions have full voice acting and even unique boss fights in some cases. These are generally the best Xenoblade X has to offer in terms of authored side material. 

My one major complaint about the quest structure here is that activating a main story mission or affinity mission locks you out of doing other story/affinity missions until you complete it. It’s unnecessarily rigid and can become quite annoying if the next objective in the quest you’re locked into is something you don’t feel comfortable doing. 

My favorite area in the whole game. Credit: Nintendo

There are also non-voiced side missions that often at least include funny premises and objectives, such as one where you have to stop a dangerous political candidate who wants to convert the entire economy into a pizza-based bartering system from winning office in New LA. Many of the side missions involve cultural exchange between humans and several different friendly alien species who shack up in NLA over the course of the story. 

I can’t lie: In times like these, I found it nice and refreshing just how much of the missions in this game involve humans embracing diversity and befriending unfamiliar immigrants who have nowhere else to go. It’s not always perfectly sensitive to every issue, but Xenoblade X carries an optimism about people and their ability to accept others that’s nice to see right now.

Beyond that, there are more basic busywork missions that mostly involve killing a certain number of monsters or collecting a certain number of items. Blessedly, these are things you can do if you want, but rarely do you have to do any of them. 

When you aren’t questing, you’ll most likely spend your time running around Mira, planting mining probes to expand the map. These also double as a source of regular passive income, making it well worth the player’s while to meticulously plan out their probe network in the in-game FrontierNav menu. 

As a lifelong fan of MMORPGs, Xenoblade X’s questing rhythm is familiar and comfortable to me. “Just one more quest and then it’s time for bed” regularly turned into late-night sessions that ultimately led to a staggering 96 hours of playtime before I hit the end credits. There’s no denying that Xenoblade X is a beast of a video game, but I had a good time for almost all of those 96 hours.

Stick with it, I promise Skells rule. Credit: Nintendo

I realize I’ve gotten nearly 1,500 words into this review without mentioning that you eventually get access to fully customizable mechs (called Skells) in this game. That’s appropriate because it takes literally about 30 hours of gametime before Xenoblade X grants access to this game-changing system. It’s another 15 hours of gametime before your Skell gets the ability to fly, which alters things even further.

A lot of people will read that paragraph, say “screw that,” and go play something else instead. To each their own, but I strongly feel that instant gratification for mech lovers would make Xenoblade X a substantially less interesting experience. 

Put simply, Skells alter the player’s perspective in a way that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen another open-world game pull off. Before you have a Skell, you are but an insect to the megafauna of Mira. Many parts of the world are fully inaccessible because you can’t jump high enough, and it’s not even worth trying to kill big monsters most of the time. Once you have a Skell, you suddenly see Mira at an entirely different scale. You can kill more things and go to more places.

Flying around Mira is a blast. Credit: Nintendo

It’s a massive change to thrust upon the player after 30 hours of gameplay, but then it happens again once your Skell has a flight module. The ability to freely fly around Mira is a profound change, and one that unlocks places you never even dreamed of being able to visit before. This is where the real magic of Xenoblade X reveals itself: Anything you can see, you can also touch. Things that would be background elements in other games are fully modeled objects that you can walk on, even if there’s no reason to do so. 

I’ve just never played another open-world game that so intentionally and effectively plays with the player’s relationship to the game world itself. You experience three different versions of Mira over the course of the adventure. It’s rad as hell. It also doesn’t hurt that the environmental art direction is outstanding across the board. All five continents are beautiful in their own way, and they all manage to put at least one fun twist on familiar concepts like “green plains” or “jungle.” 

Also, one of the new things they added in the remaster is a Skell that transforms into a jet. It’s easily the most fun way to get around Mira once you unlock it.

They fixed the combat, too

Fighting monsters is, obviously, a very big part of Xenoblade X, and it’s also the part that’s most likely to make newcomers bounce off of it. Like every other game in the series, combat here is roughly akin to that of classic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft. When you target an enemy, your character automatically begins attacking while you scroll through a horizontal bar full of Arts, which are cooldown-based combat abilities, on the bottom of the screen. 

While fights play out in real-time, this isn’t an action game. Your job is to properly position your character and manage cooldowns, not skillfully execute combos. The most unique thing about the combat in Xenoblade X relative to its peers is the general lack of healing abilities. While there are a handful of Arts that recover health, the main way to heal your party members is to use certain Arts at the right time whenever one of your teammates calls out for it, which recovers a little bit of health for everyone. 

I know this looks like a lot, but trust me, it's way cleaner than the Wii U version. Credit: Nintendo

This system, known as Soul Voices, is something you can spend hours tinkering with, or ignore entirely, as I did. In general, this is by far the most build-crafty Xenoblade game, with lots of adjusting to be done in the game’s many menus in order to put together the perfect party for any situation. It is immensely satisfying, especially in the game’s later chapters, to carefully put together a plan and see it work just as you imagined.

Combat was hectic and fun on Wii U, but it always felt like it was missing something. Monolith Soft found it in the Switch version with the quick cooldown system. By simply hovering over an Art that’s currently on cooldown and pressing a button, you can skip the cooldown and instantly use the art again, as many times as you want. This is governed by a new meter that doesn’t really refill until a fight is over, so you do need to be careful about it, which is nice because otherwise it would be totally broken.

Quick cooldowns make fights substantially faster and more fun. Monolith Soft has hit a satisfying balance of giving players more ways to succeed without trivializing combat. It can still be very challenging, but the player now has a slightly bigger margin for error. I should note that Skell combat is very similar to on-foot fights, but you don’t get access to quick cooldowns. This is a cool disparity that didn’t exist before; combat on-foot is more agile and reactive, while Skell fights are slower and more methodical, as they should be.

They fixed everything else, too Auroras are cool. Credit: Nintendo

The Wii U version of Xenoblade X was a hard game to love at times. There were certain elements of its design that made tedious grinding more necessary than I prefer, and in general, the user interface was a mess. Monolith Soft’s efforts to alleviate those problems are, by a wide margin, my favorite thing about the Definitive Edition port.

The two most important changes involve the game’s large roster of party members. In the original game, you had to manually walk up to someone in NLA and talk to them to add them to your party. The Wii U version also did not give any experience points to inactive party members, meaning you had to grind to keep people at an acceptable level. Since affinity missions have strict level requirements, this was an extremely tiresome chore.

I’m pleased to report that the Switch version allows you to switch out party members from the main menu at any time, and everyone levels up regardless of how much you use them. Affinity, a separate stat that goes up as you spend more time with characters and is usually a requirement to start affinity missions, also accumulates much faster than it did before. This makes it a breeze to complete every single affinity mission in the game, something that I would never have done before.

That’s not all, though, Not even close. Here’s just a sampling of some of the other improvements the developers made over the Wii U version:

• You can change the time of day from the main menu

• Character faces generally look a lot better

• Objective markers for quests are significantly more helpful than they used to be

• There are now multiple save slots

• You can highlight specific segments of the minimap, which makes searching for things easier

Last but certainly not least, a majority of the fonts have been updated to the admittedly kinda sterile sans serif font Nintendo uses for everything now. In this case specifically, this was a great choice. The Wii U version's text could be hard to read at times. On top of that, just about every menu has been updated to efficiently communicate as much information as possible, when possible. The Combat UI has also seen massive improvements, making it much easier to read the situation and react accordingly than before.

Is Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition worth getting?

Does the sun rise? Is water wet?

Put simply, Monolith Soft has done a remarkable job updating this game without compromising on what made it so compelling in the first place. Most of its irksome little annoyances have been removed, while maintaining a fair and enjoyable amount of friction. Mira is still an incredibly dangerous planet to explore, especially before you have Skells.

I promise I wouldn’t recommend a game that took me nearly 100 hours to finish unless I really thought it was worth the time. This is the best Xenoblade Chronicles X has ever been, and I’m extremely thrilled that people who are curious can finally check it out without digging out a Wii U.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch on March 20. For more Mashable game reviews, check out our OpenCritic page.

WiiM now sells the Vibelink Amplifier, its first standalone amp. It doesn't offer any Wi-Fi streaming or Bluetooth functionality, but it boasts the same components as WiiM's super-high-end audio receivers and costs just $299.

Would I like my devices to have longer battery life? Sure! Would it make much of a difference in my life? Not really. I'm a creature of habit, and this one habit has eliminated any battery anxiety I once had.

Celine Song has come to tangle us up in an enticing love triangle all over again. The celebrated writer/director of the critically acclaimed Past Lives returns with Materialists, a tantalizing three-way romance starring Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, and Dakota Johnson.

The logline from A24 teases: "A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex."

Johnson stars as this matchmaker, described by friends as the "eternal bachelorette." However, her prospects change at a client's wedding when she meets a dashing and wealthy unicorn (Pascal), as in "an impossible fantasy." She also reconnects with her ex (Evans), a charming but broke bachelor who has a catering job, roommates, and dreams of growing old with her.

How is a gal supposed to choose between two of the internet's most beloved boyfriends?

We'll find out when Materialists opens in theaters everywhere June 13.

SAVE $70: As of March 18, the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) are on sale at Best Buy for $479.99. That's 12% off their list price of $549.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 at Best Buy
$549.99 Save $70 Get Deal

If you find yourself frequently listening to the latest and greatest songs, brand new audiobooks, or exciting podcasts, it's important to have headphones that can keep up with you. High-quality options usually come with a hefty price tag, but every once in a while a deal floats around that's worth taking advantage of. If you're an Apple user who has been looking to make the jump to the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), you're in luck, as they're currently on sale at Best Buy.

The retailer has knocked the price of the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) down by $70, from $549.99 to $479.99. This applies to all of the available colors as well, so you can choose between the midnight, blue, orange, purple, and starlight models. That's not all, though. Your purchase also comes with Apple Fitness+ for free for three months if you're a new subscriber and up to three months of Apple Music for free if you're a new or returning subscriber.

SEE ALSO: For gym rats and picky audiophiles alike, these are the 7 best headphones of 2025

The AirPods Max headphones offer excellent sound quality courtesy of the Apple H1 chip. They also offer noise-canceling features that let you either completely tune out the world around you or open things up to hear your surroundings without cutting off what you're listening to. We had a lot of positives to note about them in our review, with Brenda Stolyar saying, "When it comes down to it, the AirPods Max check off almost all the boxes for what makes an excellent pair of headphones: great sound quality, ideal battery life, easy controls, and a stylish design (sans Smart Case)."

We also ranked them in our roundup of the best noise-canceling headphones for flying as the best option for Apple loyalists, noting "The AirPods Max aren't just a pretty pair of headphones. With the help of eight microphones, these headphones provide excellent active noise cancellation."

If you've been looking to upgrade your headphones, don't miss out on $70 off the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) at Best Buy.

Outside of the AirPods Max, there are a few more Apple deals worth checking out right now. Over at Amazon, the AirPods Pro 2 have had a nice little discount, and at Best Buy you can save $100 on an Apple iPad mini.

Just because something's popular, that doesn't mean it's good. And nowhere is that maxim more evident than in a list of Netflix's most-watched original movies, only one of which I'd recommend (and even that one's pretty contentious).

Netflix is continuing the rich tradition of Scandinavian crime drama with Camilla Läckberg's The Glass Dome, a thriller about a criminologist travelling back to the Swedish town where she was held captive as a child.

As you probably guessed, it's not long before another child goes missing, and soon Lejla (Léonie Vincent) is on the trail of a mystery that might be connected to what happened to her as a girl. Intriguing!

The Glass Dome is streaming on Netflix from April 15.

Buying a used phone can save you money, but it also comes with its own set of risks and potential issues. You could end up with a stolen device, a phone with no warranty, or one that has been repaired multiple times. So, you should think carefully before purchasing a pre-owned device.

Has Toyota now become a battery supplier? That's certainly the plan, as it's set to supply fellow Japanese automaker Honda with batteries to power up around 400,000 of its hybrid vehicles sold in the U.S.

FREE GIFT CARD: As of March 18, Best Buy's offering a free $50 e-gift card when you purchase a 512GB Meta Quest 3 VR headset.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta $50 Best Buy e-Gift Card with Meta Quest 3 (512GB) Get Deal

If you've had your eye on the Meta Quest 3, now's your chance to scoop it up and score a little extra cash in the process. Right now, Best Buy's offering a $50 e-gift card when you purchase a 512GB Meta Quest 3 VR headset, which comes to $499.99.

It's not the only bonus that comes with the Meta Quest 3. Purchasing this headset also comes with the VR game Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+ to kickstart your VR journey. Best Buy also notes that your purchase comes with a one month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.

SEE ALSO: Meta Quest 3S vs. Meta Quest 3: What are the differences?

We think very highly of the Meta Quest 3, even if its battery life doesn't last for quite as long as we'd like. We rank it as the best option overall in our roundup of the best VR headsets, saying that "the Meta Quest 3 is the best Quest VR headset to date. Pretty much every single spec (save for battery life, strangely) is bigger and better than the Quest 2, including power, resolution, comfort, and more."

Similarly, our review had a lot of positive things to note about it despite its battery life, with Mashable's Kimberly Gedeon saying, "The Meta Quest 3 is a lighter, sleeker version of its predecessor with a new color passthrough feature that lets you enjoy more mixed-reality experiences, but the battery life could be better."

Take advantage of this free $50 Best Buy e-gift card with the purchase of a 512GB Meta Quest 3 VR headset at the retailer.

If you're on the hunt for more gaming-related deals right now, have a look at our breakdown of Steam's Spring Sale. If you're a PC gamer, there are plenty of excellent discounts to check out right now on a wide variety of games, including Baldur’s Gate 3, Diablo IV, and so much more.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 18 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: One of a kind

• Green: Germanic

• Blue: Word never changes if multiplied

• Purple: Doesn't follow the usual rules of pluralization

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Exceptional

• Green: German words

• Blue: Plural animals identical to their singular forms

• Purple: Plural words that are very different from their singular forms

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #645 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Exceptional: REMARKABLE, SINGULAR, SPECIAL, UNIQUE

• German words: ANGST, DIE, KINDER, WURST

• Plural animals identical to their singular forms: DEER, SHEEP, SHRIMP, SQUID

• Plural words that are very different from their singular forms: DICE, LICE, MICE, OXEN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 18

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Learning to ride a bike

• Green: Slang for putting the ball in play

• Blue: Famous athletes

• Purple: Share the same first word

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Parts of a bicycle

• Green: Ways to describe how a baseball is hit

• Blue: Athletes known by their first name

• Purple: __________ skating

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #176 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Parts of a bicycle - BRAKE, PEDAL, SADDLE, SPOKE

• Ways to describe how a baseball is hit - BLOOP, DRIBBLER, FROZEN ROPE, MOONSHOT

• Athletes known by their first name - TIGER, VENUS, WILT, YOGI

• __________ skating - FIGURE, ICE, ROLLER, SPEED

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 18 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Grrr

The words are synoynms.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are emotions that make you say, grrr.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Crossword.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for March 18

• Surly

• Vexed

• Grumpy

• Cranky

• Irked

• Peeved

• Touchy

• Crossword

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for March 18 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 18, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A function in the Clock app.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

TIMER.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 18

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, March 18, 2025:

Across"Dude! Come on!"

• The answer is Bruh.

San Antonio attraction to "remember"

• The answer is Alamo.

Recurring Stallone role

• The answer is Rambo.

Stream

• The answer is Creek.

Hudson after whom the Hudson River is named

• The answer is Henry.

DownLoudly play, as a speaker

• The answer is Blare.

Dish that might come with a spoon and chopsticks

• The answer is Ramen.

Raw ___, color in the Crayola Hall of Fame

• The answer is Umber.

Something "played" to avoid class

• The answer is Hooky.

Eyebrow shape

• The answer is Arch.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.