Technology

Star Wars series The Mandalorian makes the leap from the small screen to movie theaters in the upcoming film Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. The movie marks the first Star Wars theatrical release since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker.

Directed by The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian and Grogu continues the adventures of Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice (and adopted son) Grogu, aka Baby Yoda. According to the film's official logline, the fan-favorite pair have been recruited by the fledgling New Republic in order to hunt down the last Imperial warlords scattered around the galaxy following the fall of the Empire. Favreau co-wrote the film with Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni.

SEE ALSO: John Oliver reacts to Kimmel's suspension with a direct message to Disney's CEO

The film's teaser trailer doesn't reveal too much more about Mando and Grogu's extra important mission, but it does offer up some pretty tantalizing glimpses of what's to come, starting with the casting of science fiction icon Sigourney Weaver, who plays New Republic pilot and colonel Ward. The Mandalorian and Grogu's teaser sees Grogu trying (and failing) to use the Force to steal some of Ward's snack. You're going to have to do better than that if you're going to one-up Ripley, Grogu!

The Mandalorian and Grogu also stars The Bear's Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba the Hutt himself. The teaser shows off a glimpse of Rotta celebrating a victory in a fighting pit, which even Din deems, "impressive."

Other moments of note in the trailer include the return of Star Wars Rebels character Garazeb “Zeb” Orellios (voiced by Steven Blum), who made his live-action debut in The Mandalorian Season 3, and some high-octane space battles. Check out the full trailer above.

The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026.

SAVE $19.54: As of Sept. 22, the Pokémon TCG White Flare Elite Trainer Box is down to $84.95 at Amazon. That's cheaper than Walmart and undercutting TCGplayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company White Flare Elite Trainer Box $84.95 at Amazon
$104.49 Save $19.54 Get Deal

Pokémon TCG’s Scarlet & Violet White Flare Elite Trainer Box has just seen a healthy price drop at Amazon, with the retailer currently listing it at $84.95, down from its original $104.49. That makes it notably cheaper than Walmart’s $99.95, and it even undercuts TCGplayer, where sellers are listing the box for around $103.96 plus shipping.

With the market average hovering around $78.16, Amazon’s new price may still be sitting higher than what it ideally should be, but this is still the best price going compared to other retailers with steadily available stock. For Pokémon card collectors hoping to secure this fiery expansion at a fair price, this is one of the better opportunities you’re likely to find.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

Similar to the Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box, White Flare’s ETB comes packed with everything both collectors and competitive players might want: nine White Flare booster packs, a full-art Tornadus promo card, themed card sleeves, 45 Energy cards, dice, counters, and a player’s guide. That’s along with the collector’s box itself, which also comes with four dividers to sort everything in, and a code for Pokémon Trading Card Game Live.

It’s an ideal way to get a handful of packs to pull some of the high-priced chase cards below. Additionally, it's an excellent entry point into this special set that's solely based on Unova region Pokémon from Generation V. Expect to see familiar faces such as Reshiram ex, Victini, and Keldeo ex, while starters like Tepig and Oshawott can evolve up to their powerful final forms, Emboar and Samurott.

The most valuable Pokémon TCG cards in White Flare Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

Just like with Black Bolt, White Flare continues the Unova celebration with a fiery line-up of cards, blending legendary Pokémon and striking illustration rares that will turn heads in any collection. For those who care as much about market value as they do about beautiful artwork being added to their binders and toploaders, these are the standout pulls commanding the highest prices right now:

1. Victini – SV: White Flare 172/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $999.99

   Market price: $423.28

   Most recent sale: $410

2. Reshiram ex – SV: White Flare 173/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $499.99

   Market price: $372.56

   Most recent sale: $369.95

3. Reshiram ex - SV: White Flare 166/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $209.99

   Market price: $192.33

   Most recent sale: $178

4. Hydreigon ex - SV: White Flare 169/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $199.99

   Market price: $75.93

   Most recent sale: $76.99

5. Hilda - SV: White Flare 171/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $80.52

   Market price: $62.72

   Most recent sale: $62.79

6. Keldeo - SV: White Flare 167/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $64.99

   Market price: $58.04

   Most recent sale: $55.19

Honda’s usually known for reliable, fuel-sipping cars you can count on, not flashy luxury rides. But over the years, the brand has quietly amped up the swank factor in some of its mainstream models.

Work getting you down? Or maybe your friends and family are stressing you out? If so, you might need a bit of good, old-fashioned escapism. And if you’re anything like me, the best way to do so is to watch a movie at night and disappear into the fictional world of the finest feature film. Fortunately, Prime Video has more than a few great movies to help you take your mind off things.

If you're a Paramount+ subscriber, you're probably aware of all the great movies and shows that have landed on the service this month. Its TV series are great, but sometimes you just want to throw on a low-commitment flick during the week, relax, and hit the hay.

SAVE OVER $30: As of Sept. 22, the Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus The Sanderson Sister's Cottage set is on sale at Amazon for $195.49. That's 15% off its list price of $229.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego LEGO Ideas 'Hocus Pocus' The Sanderson Sister's Cottage $195.49 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $34.50 Get Deal

We're inching closer to October, and that means Halloween is coming up soon. If you can't wait to get in the spooky spirit, Amazon's offering a sweet deal on the Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus The Sanderson Sister's Cottage set that's perfect for piecing together while watching the classic Halloween movie this year.

Normally the Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus The Sanderson Sister's Cottage set is listed for $229.99, but it's currently marked down to $195.49. This saves you $34.50 off its list price and even marks its lowest-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. There's truly no better time to scoop it up and build it ahead of spooky season.

SEE ALSO: Our 15 favorite Lego sets, sourced from actual Lego fans

The Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus The Sanderson Sister's Cottage set is recommended for adults aged 18 and up and comes with 2,316 pieces. These come together to create a detailed version of The Sanderson Sister's cottage from the movie alongside a gate and graveyard. It also comes with six minifigures: Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson along with Max and Dani Dennison, Allison Watts, and a Thackery Binx cat figure.

Score the Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus The Sanderson Sister's Cottage set at its best price right now before October officially starts. And if you're looking for even more Halloween goodies to pick up this year, check out Amazon's Halloween Shop.

SAVE $50: As of Sept. 22, the Fitbit Sense 2 is on sale for $199.95 at Amazon. This is 20% off its list price of $249.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Sense 2 $199.95 at Amazon
$249.95 Save $50 Get Deal

If you're kicking off your fall fitness routine and looking for a fitness tracker to keep up, the Fitbit Sense 2 is one that's well worth a look. What's even better is it's currently on sale at Amazon, well ahead of the retailer's big Prime Big Deal Days sale event at the start of October.

The Fitbit Sense 2 usually retails for $249.95, but right now you can pick it up for $50 off that price, down to $199.95. This discount applies to multiple colors as well, so you can choose between the shadow grey/graphite model, lunar white/platinum, or blue mist/pale gold to find the tracker that best suits your personal tastes.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

The Fitbit Sense 2 offers multiple different forms of tracking, from sleep to activities to stress. When it comes to the latter, it features all-day stress detection and a daily Stress Management Score alongside irregular heart rhythm notifications and more. It can even help you with forming good sleeping habits with the help of its Sleep Score and daily sleep stages.

There's plenty for fitness-focused individuals to utilize as well, including all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate tracking, 40+ exercise modes, and a built-in GPS. And with a battery life that lasts over six days, you won't have to worry about charging it up too frequently.

Don't miss out on $50 off the Fitbit Sense 2 at Amazon. It's not the only Fitbit deal to cross our radar either, as you can also save on the Fitbit Versa 4 right now at Amazon.

John Oliver joined other late night hosts showing support for Jimmy Kimmel on Sunday after Jimmy Kimmel Live! was "indefinitely suspended" by ABC, following comments the host made about the right's reaction to Charlie Kirk's murder.

Oliver starts by going through exactly what happened and criticising the tactics used by Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr, who threatened to punish ABC and parent company Disney over Kimmel's comments during a podcast appearance shortly before the suspension.

To conclude, Oliver speaks directly to Disney CEO Bob Iger, encouraging him to stand up to bullies and "draw a line."

"Hi Bob," says Oliver. "We haven't met, but you probably know me as America's third favourite Zazu. Congratulations on recasting that role by the way, it was a fun thing to learn about after the fact. Anyway, one day the history of the time we're living through is going to be written. And when it is, I'm not sure it's those in this administration who are even going to come off the worst. Now don't get me wrong, they're going to come off terribly, but history's also going to remember the cowards who definitely knew better, but still let things happen — whether it was for money, convenience, or just comfort.

"I know this is something of a tough sell, and it can be a bit of an anathema to risk-averse business leaders. But I will say this: If we have learned nothing else from this business administration's second term so far — and I don't think we have — it's that giving the bully your lunch money doesn't make him go away, it just makes him come back hungrier each time. They are never going to stop, they literally said that openly. After Kimmel's suspension, Trump posted: 'That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!' And Carr has hinted that The View might be next. The fucking View.

"Look at some point, you're going to have to draw a line. So I'd argue, why not draw it right here? And when they come to you with stupid, ridiculous demands, picking fights that you know you could win in court, instead of rolling over why not stand up and use four key words they don't tend to teach you in business school? Not 'OK, you're the boss,' not, 'Whatever you say goes,' but instead the only phrase that can genuinely make a weak bully go away, and that is: 'Fuck you. Make me.'"

SAVE $400: As of Sept. 22, the Shark Matrix Plus robot vacuum is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon. That's a 53% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix Plus Robot Vacuum $349.99 at Amazon
$749.99 Save $400 Get Deal

Robot vacuums have come a long way since their inception many years ago. We were once impressed that they could move on their own, but now they respond to voice activation, pick up hair, self-clean, and the best even mop your floors. If you're looking for a model with this level of impressiveness, look no further than the Shark Matrix Plus.

This model is as good as it gets, and a far cry from the robot vacuums of the past. It vacuums, it mops, it self-empties, and does so much more. And right now, you can get it on sale for more than half off at Amazon. As of Sept. 22, it is now priced at $349.99. That's $400 off, and the lowest-ever price.

SEE ALSO: The Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop has dropped to its best-ever price at Amazon — save over $100

One of the standout features of this model is the sonic mopping, promising to clean hard floors 100 times per minute. And if that still isn't enough for any deep mess, initiate the "matrix mop" for 50% better cleaning, as well as targeted stain removal.

This vacuum cleans in a precision matrix grid. If you have pets, it'll more than impress. It has a self-cleaning brushroll, so the vacuum will pick up pet hair and get rid of any stuck-on pet messes. No more pulling hairs out of the carpet.

But what really sets a robot vacuum apart from the rest is its maintenance, and this vacuum is about as easy as it gets. It holds up to 45 days of dirt, and the base is bagless, so you won't need to remember to buy vacuum bags. It also recharges itself, without being told. If it starts to run out during cleaning, it will recharge and then pick up the cleaning where it left off.

Get this great robot vacuum deal from Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $150: As of Sept. 22, the Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $259.99 at Amazon. This is 40% off its list price of $429.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q7 M5+ Robot Vacuum and Mop $259.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $170 Get Deal

If you're spending a bit more time inside now that the weather is turning and you're realizing that the house is a total mess, a robot vacuum is worth investing in. Thankfully, with Prime Big Deal Days right around the corner, there are some great discounts popping up on various models at Amazon. The Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop is one that's caught our eye, as it's down to its best-ever price.

The Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop is currently discounted to $259.99. This saves you $170 off its original list price of $429.99, but it's currently marked as a limited-time deal at Amazon. This means it might not last for long, so now's your chance to grab it at this low price.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

With the help of 10,000Pa HyperForce suction, the Roborock Q7 M5+ can clear your floors of any dirt, debris, or hair that's dropped. When it comes to the latter, it even features a dual anti-tangle design through the main and side brush that prevents hair from getting caught up inside it, allowing this little robot vacuum to keep moving without delays.

The Roborock Q7 M5+ also comes with a PreciSense LiDAR Navigation System, which helps it to map out your home and get an efficient clean through every room. It can even go up to seven weeks before its 2.7 litre dust bag needs to be emptied, so you can go about your day without worrying about it too frequently.

Score the Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop down to its best price right now at Amazon. And if you're curious what other robot vacuums are worth a look right now, check out our breakdown of the best robot vacuums to see some of our top picks.

SAVE $50: As of Sept. 22, the Apple Magic Keyboard is on sale for $199 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Magic Keyboard $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal

Apple's Magic Keyboard is back on sale at Amazon — we think it's the perfect accessory to turn your iPad from play to work.

The Magic Keyboard is a really useful item, connecting to your iPad and allowing you to type and navigate much more easily. It essentially turns your iPad into a laptop. If you're often working on the go, this really is a godsend accessory.

SEE ALSO: Every Apple product announcement we still expect in 2025 and beyond — AirTags, Macs, and HomePod

And right now (as of Sept. 22), you can get it for less, with a $50 discount taking the price down to $199. It's available in different languages too, including Arabic, British English, Chinese (Pinyin and Zhuyin), Danish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish (Latin America and Spain), Swiss, Ukrainian, and American English.

Despite being an attachment to your iPad (that attaches magnetically), it has the same comfortable typing experience you'd expect from a high-end laptop. This is thanks to features such as the trackpad and the 14-key function row.

And the best part is there is no charging or pairing needed. It just attaches to your iPad, and that's you all set — just start typing. The back panel also has an adjustable stand, which is handy for different viewing angles and working surfaces.

If you work a lot on the go, this Magic Keyboard is a must. Get the deal from Amazon now.

SAVE $350: As of Sept. 22, the eufy X10 Pro robot vacuum is on sale for $549.99 at Amazon. That's a 39% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: eufy Eufy X10 Pro Robot Vacuum $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350 Get Deal

October's Prime Day dates have finally been announced (starting Oct. 7), and there are only a couple of weeks to go. Prime Day is the perfect excuse to pick up big-ticket items like TVs and robot vacuums, but if you're impatient and want some great deals right now, look no further than this $350 discount on the eufy X10 Pro robot vacuum.

As of Sept. 22, it is down to a new price of $549.99, and you don't even need to wait for Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: What is the best robot vacuum for pet hair? My cats and I have been testing options at home.

This vacuum offers 8,000 Pa suction, so all kinds of tough dirt are powerless in its path. This includes pet hair, which it will even pull out of carpets. It even has an auto-detangling process for when hairs get caught in the brush. The roller brush spins backward, while the Pro-Detangle Comb drops down to free any hair wrapped around it. The mop is an ideal extra, scrubbing out even the toughest of stains before self-cleaning and drying the pads, so there's nothing for you to do but sit back and watch.

The vacuum has very little maintenance. The dust bag is 2.5 litres in size, so only needs to be replaced around every two months. It uses iPath laser navigation, and you can even map out areas yourself, including no-go zones and virtual boundaries. All of this can be controlled in the app, and you can also set and schedule cleans.

There's no need to wait for Prime Day; save over $300 with this robot vacuum deal now.

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 SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, Sept. 22, 2025:

AcrossBarker who hosted "The Price Is Right"

• The answer is Bob.

(Base x height) / 2, for a triangle

• The answer is Area.

Bouncy toys in a playroom

• The answer is Balls.

Budget for

• The answer is Allot.

Busy buzzers ... and letters found at the start of every clue in this puzzle

• The answer is Bees.

DownBaked dessert soaked in rum

• The answer is Baba.

Big name in dental products

• The answer is Oral B.

"Beauty and the Beast" protagonist

• The answer is Belle.

Balm ingredient with soothing properties

• The answer is Aloe.

Bourbon and Beale: Abbr.

• The answer is Sts.

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 today's Mini Crossword.

SAVE $10: As of Sept. 22, the Roku Streaming Stick is on sale for $29 at Amazon. That's a 27% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick Plus $29 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $10.99 Get Deal

Looking to upgrade your streaming setup in time for movie-marathon season? What if we told you you didn't need to buy a whole new TV for easy streaming? Instead, just treat yourself to a streaming stick.

What is a streaming stick, you ask? These are clever little gadgets that plug into your TV or laptop and give you access to live channels, apps, and streaming services. It essentially turns your device into a smart TV, without the need to drop a load of cash.

SEE ALSO: How to watch '28 Years Later' at home: Now streaming

And as of Sept. 22, one of the best, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, is on sale at Amazon. Down from $39.99, you can now purchase for just $29. The Plus is like the regular Roku stick, but it supports 4K streaming. This streaming device runs on the Roku OS, so expect an easy-to-use interface, with your favorite streaming platforms just a click away. And with the built-in voice control, so you can ask it to search through various platforms at once to find your favorite TV show without getting up.

Get this streaming stick deal from Amazon.

SAVE $8.50: As of Sept. 22, the Pokémon TCG Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box is down to $86.99 at Amazon, beating out the current listings on Walmart and TCGplayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box $86.99 at Amazon
$89.88 Save $2.89 Get Deal

Pokémon collectors and competitive players alike have one more reason to check Amazon’s TCG deals this week. As of Sept. 22, the Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box (ETB), part of the Scarlet & Violet block, has quietly dropped from its previous list price of $95.49 to just $86.99 on Amazon. 

That discount doesn’t sound earth-shattering at first glance, but it puts Amazon in a competitive spot compared with other major retailers in the current card game market. While Walmart is charging a slightly higher $90 for new and sealed ETBs, seller listings at TCGplayer are currently charging $190 at the lowest when shipping costs are taken into account. That’s despite the Black Bolt ETB in general sitting at $86.45 in market price. 

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

Like other modern ETBs, Black Bolt comes packed with nine booster packs, a Thundurus promo card, 65 branded sleeves, a set of Energy, dice, condition markers, and a player’s guide. It’s the kind of bundle that appeals to collectors looking for shelf-worthy sealed product, as well as players who need a solid entry point into the expansion to try and pull some of the valuable chase cards listed below.

The set itself is themed around Unova, with heavy hitters like Zekrom ex and Meloetta ex lurking in the booster packs. For anyone chasing playable staples or eye-catching illustrations, this box offers a solid mix.

Black Bolt’s most valuable Pokémon TCG cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

Alongside White Flare, the Black Bolt set brings Unova’s legends back in style, with standout rares and gorgeous special illustrations of favourites like Victini and Zekrom. For Pokémon TCG collectors chasing top value, here are the most valuable chase cards worth pulling:

1. Victini – SV: Black Bolt 171/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $1299.99

   Market price: $453.74

   Most recent sale: $435.44

2. Zekrom ex - SV: Black Bolt 172/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $999.99

   Market price: $391.83

   Most recent sale: $355

3. Seismitoad - SV: Black Bolt 105/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $499

   Market price: $215.44

   Most recent sale: $239.99

4. Zekrom ex – SV: Black Bolt 166/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $499.99

   Market price: $211.76

   Most recent sale: $355

5. N’s Plan - SV: Black Bolt 170/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $159.99

   Market price: $70.55

   Most recent sale: $52.52

6. Kyurem ex - SV: Black Bolt 165/086

   Near Mint Holofoil: $159.99

   Market price: $65.31

   Most recent sale: $67.95

TL;DR: Readmio Premium gives you voice-activated sound effects, music, and activities that transform storytime into an immersive, magical experience for kids — lifetime access is just $39.99 (reg. $159).

Opens in a new window Credit: Readmio Readmio Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription $39.99
$159 Save $119.01 Get Deal

Bedtime doesn’t have to be a battle with screens anymore. With Readmio, you can bring back the joy of reading aloud while giving your kids a next-level storytelling experience — and now, you can grab lifetime access to the Premium Plan for just $39.99 (reg. $159).

Readmio is more than a library of fairy tales and fables. It’s a voice-activated interactive app that adds music, sound effects, and atmosphere while you read aloud. Imagine narrating Little Red Riding Hood and hearing birds chirp in the forest, or the wolf’s growl timed perfectly to your words. Suddenly, you’re not just reading — you’re performing.

SEE ALSO: The Apple iPad (10th Gen) is back at its lowest-ever price — save $150 at Amazon

Here’s why families will love it:

• Interactive storytelling: Sound effects and music sync with your voice.

• Boosts comprehension: Optional quizzes and printable activity sheets reinforce learning.

• Screen-free connection: Encourages kids to focus on your voice, not a device.

• Huge story library: From Aesop’s fables to science and nature tales, with new content added regularly.

• For all ages: Stories categorized for toddlers, early readers, and kids 8+.

Beyond stories, Readmio also offers audiobooks for solo listening and creative extras, such as coloring pages and thematic worksheets, to extend learning. It’s a balanced blend of traditional storytelling and modern innovation.

And because this is a lifetime subscription, you’ll always have a fresh story ready — whether it’s a quick afternoon read, a Christmas classic, or the nightly bedtime ritual.

Get lifetime access to Readmio Premium while it’s just $39.99 (reg. $159) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

This is the second in a series of stories diving into a new wave of AI-powered homework helpers. Read part one here.

AI companies are becoming major players in the world of education, including investing heavily in their own generative AI helpers designed to bolster student learning. So I set out to test them. 

To do so, I pulled a series of standardized test questions from the New York Regents Exam and New York State Common Core Standards, AP college preparatory exams from 2024, and social science curricula from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)'s free Learning for Justice program. I wanted to test these STEM-focused bots on some subjects that are a bit closer to my field of expertise, while also simulating the way an "average" student would use them.

I also spoke to experts about what it was like to study with an AI chatbot, including Hamsa Bastani, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and co-author of the study "Generative AI Can Harm Learning." 

Bastani told me that education chatbots are still a white whale for the industry, with few definitive studies and weak guardrails on bots simply offering answers. Dylan Arena, chief data science and AI officer at McGraw Hill, suggested that AI has a lot of good potential when it comes to learning, but doesn't think most companies are approaching it with the right frame of mind. 

More from both experts in our forthcoming conclusion.

SEE ALSO: I tried learning from Anthropic's AI tutor. I felt like I was back in college.

Following a stint with ChatGPT, round two of my AI tutor tests were with Gemini's Guided Learning — Google unveiled free Google AI Pro plans, along with the new learning mode, to all college students back in August. I used a Gemini 2.5 Pro account, making sure it was set to Guided Learning (click on the three dots to toggle this setting on). 

I gave Gemini the exact same standardized exam questions — and started the conversations with the same initial prompts — as I did with tests for ChatGPT and Claude. I kept things super simple. Asks like, "I need help with a homework problem." and "Can you help me study for an English test?" I didn't give the bot any more information about my student persona unless it asked, including grade level, and covered several subjects: 

• Math: An Algebra II question about polynomial long division from the New York State Regents Exam

• Science: An ecology free response on the impact of invasive species from the 2024 AP Biology test  

• English Language Arts: A practice analysis of Ted Chiang's "The Great Silence" from the New York State Regents Exam 

• Art History: A short essay on Faith Ringgold's Tar Beach #2 from the 2024 Art History test 

• American History and Politics: An essay prompt on how American housing laws exacerbated racial segregation taken from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)'s Learning for Justice program  

Here's what I thought of my Gemini teacher.

Gemini: The T.A. who really loves quizzes Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable Composite: Google

Gemini was my personal winner for math. It was succinct like ChatGPT, and it didn't just give me the answers. But it went a step further, too: I got to visualize the work I was doing as I relearned polynomial long division. Using its coding box, Gemini approximated the standard long division formatting using small dashes that formed the familiar, sideways "L" shape. It wasn't perfect, but this made it super easy to follow the steps of a class I had long forgotten, and it appealed to my need for visual aids. It was also the most structured and clear math teacher, stopping me when I got the right answer, explaining how to write it on my exam, and adding what I needed to get full credit according to the problem I shared (by showing my work, obviously).

Gemini will plot things for you, it writes it like a human would write. - Hamsa Bastani

Gemini, Bastani told me, may feel more competent at math because it's, ironically, better with words than numbers. "I think GPT-5 is better at solving math problems, brute force comparison-wise," she said. But "most people would agree Gemini is the best model for writing, and weirdly because of that, it's much better at explaining math. Gemini will plot things for you, it kind of writes it like a human would write."

One step forward, two steps back: Gemini flunked my AP Biology test immediately. It didn't ask nearly as many personal questions as other chatbots I tested, like my preferred way of studying or what my test would look like, and immediately generated a randomized, multiple-choice biology exam on a variety of subjects. It prompted me to do flashcards on the ones I missed — are those going to be on the AP exam? — and I had to ask the bot directly to give me any free response options. Again, they were written according to Gemini's syllabus.

And suddenly tenth grade math came flooding back to me. Credit: Screenshot by Mashable / Google

 Gemini’s love of quizzes reared its head again for the English Language Arts question. Can you help me study for an English test? Yes, I can. I can do a lot of things to better your studying, Gemini explained, what do you need help with specifically? Well, my completely made up teacher Mr. "The College Board" has given me a practice test and I want to know if I'm doing it right. Ah! A practice test, you say? Here's a bunch of multiple choice questions I pulled from the ether, none of which are on the test you just mentioned you have been given to study.  

So, we're doing this again, I thought. But this was different from the Biology snafu. Gemini generated short passages, made in the image of the famous works you are asked to analyze on a state exam, but with the writing style of a chatbot. The first, just six staccato lines, was titled "The Road Not Taken." Like the Robert Frost poem, I wondered? I began reading. "We stand today at a crossroads. Down one path lies the comfortable and familiar, the road of complacency," it said. Well, that's not how I remember it. "It is not an easy path, but it is the one that leads to growth, to progress, and to a future worthy of our potential." Okay, those are definitely not Frost's words — is this what a chatbot thinks "two paths diverge in a yellow wood" means? And why isn't it just letting me read the original?

Is that speaker... Fobert Rost...? Credit: Screenshot by Mashable / Google

This wasn't just a Gemini problem. I couldn't get any of the chatbots to pull the full copy of original, existing texts, like those that appear on most standard ELA tests — probably because of ongoing copyright issues that have plagued AI's developers. Anthropic recently settled a $1.5 billion class action lawsuit filed by authors whose works were used to train its AI. Gemini, however, is the only one that gave me these strange AI approximations of classic literature, unprompted. 

Still, while its performance was lackluster, the bot's user experience came with a major win. Gemini was the only chatbot that showed the model's reasoning step-by-step, which users can read through by clicking the little "Show thinking" drop-down menu at the top of the response. This was helpful for understanding why Gemini chose to address portions of my prompts and how it reasoned through my incorrect answers. 

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable Composite: Google Gemini did a good job of breaking down my answers without being too critical or rewriting my responses.

I found it most interesting that where Gemini failed to engage with me in a successful way for lessons in reading comprehension, it was my preferred choice for drafting social science essays and short answers — subjects I would have thought were comparable. For Art History, Gemini did a good job of breaking down my answers without being too critical or rewriting my responses, although it did make suggestions that were, once again, not part of the AP scoring rubric. 

When I requested the AI help me with an essay on housing discrimination (hello, critical race theory), it happily requested I take the lead on the "powerful and important" topic, asking me to explain the concepts I already knew and organizing them into a simple essay structure to keep me on task. It left blanks for me to fill in the outline with information from my personal lessons, not writing any text for me (because I didn't ask). 

But Bastani wasn't surprised by the discrepancy: "It's very good at some tasks, and then it's not great at other tasks that are very similar looking. And you have to be an expert yourself to be able to recognize the difference." Ethan Mollick, a colleague of Bastani’s and author of Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, calls this AI's "jagged frontier," an invisible wall that delineates related tasks an artificial intelligence can and cannot logically complete. Tasks that may appear close to each other across the expanse could actually be on two sides of the wall and users wouldn't really know. 

So, literature analysis: Outside the wall. Essay about racial segregation: Inside the wall. 

Summing it up

Gemini Guided Learning Pros: My preferred math teacher, and the only one that offered a proximity to a visual lesson. Good at offering more options for learners, including flashcards, quizzes, and study guides. Its voice is accessible and straightforward.

Cons: A mess for reading comprehension. Quick to serve users unhelpful, automatically-generated quizzes and flashcards. Like its competitor, ChatGPT, it emphasizes rote practice as key to learning. 

Hear more from experts on the trouble with AI tutors.

This is the first of a four-part series testing out new AI-powered homework helpers. 

On the school supply list for the 2025-2026 school year: New laptop, pouch for the school's phone prohibition, and (hopefully) ample AI literacy. 

Whether students like it or not, AI is becoming ingrained in education. High schools, colleges, even elementary schools are incorporating it into their curricula, while AI's heaviest hitters are making huge bets on education, hoping to foster a deeply entwined relationship between young learners and artificial intelligence. OpenAI, Google, and Claude have unveiled new learning and study versions of their models, pitched as AI tutors for the masses. Google for Education, the company's Education Tech arm, has made a sharp pivot to AI, including passing out free Google AI Pro plans to college students around the world — Microsoft and OpenAI have done the same. AI developers have penned deals with major educational forces that will see their tech and its principles further integrated into school settings. 

So, I, a tech reporter who has been following this AI transition, decided to test out the latest cohort of tutor bots and see how they fared against a historic opponent — standardized testing. 

Some caveats: I haven't been in a high school or college prep class in well over a decade, and while I have been to college a couple of times now, not one degree involved any math classes. "You're a tech reporter!" you may be saying, "Obviously, you know more than the Average Joe about science or coding or other numbers-based subject areas!" I'm a words girl, paying cold, hard cash to go to journalism school in 2018. So, as it turns out, I could stand to learn a lot from these AI tutors… That is, if they are actually good at their job. 

SEE ALSO: AI can't write your college admissions essay. Here's why. How I approached my AI study buddies

I pulled questions directly from the New York Regents Exam and New York State Common Core Standards, the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) college preparatory exams from 2024, and social science curricula from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)'s free Learning for Justice program. 

Rather than sticking with the standard math or computer skill prompts that many AI companies use to promote their chatbots, I included multiple humanities questions — the so-called "soft" sciences. Subjects like reading comprehension, art history, and socio-cultural studies, compared to the more common STEM examples, have proven to be a battleground area for both AI proponents and critics. Also, to put it bluntly, I just know more about those things. 

I conceived one essay prompt using core concepts from Learning for Justice — a unit analyzing The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, focused on institutionalized segregation — to demonstrate how AI tutors may respond to the presidential administration's attack on "Woke AI." Spoiler: Depending on your school district, a chatbot may teach you more "woke" history than your human educators. 

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable Composite

To make it fair, I started every conversation with a basic prompt asking for homework or study help. I chose not to provide detailed information about my student persona's grade level, age, course, or state of residence unless the chatbot asked. I also tried to follow the line of thinking of the chatbot as much as possible without interruptions — just as a student would for a human tutor or teacher — until it no longer felt helpful and I needed to steer back the conversation.

This, I hoped, would mimic the "average" student's goal when using an AI tutor: To simply get their work done. 

Before we dive in: A note on building and testing AI tutors

Understanding the average student's behavior is key to deciding if an AI tutor actually does its job, said Hamsa Bastani, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and a researcher in this field. "There [are] very highly-motivated students, and then there [are] your typical students," Bastani explained. Previous studies have shown gains, even if just minimal, among highly motivated students who properly use such tech, "because their goal is to learn rather than to get an A or solve this problem and move on." But that usually reflects only the top 5 percent of the student pool.

This is part of a recurring observation coined the "five percent problem," which has pervaded education tech design for years. In studies of tools designed to help students improve learning scores, including those by forerunner Khan Academy, only about 5 percent of tested students reported using the tools "as recommended" and thus received the intended learning benefits. The other 95 percent showed few gains. That 5 percent is also frequently composed of higher income, higher-performing individuals, reiterated Bastani, meaning even the best tools are unlikely to serve the majority of learners. 

Bastani co-authored a highly cited study on the potential harm AI chatbots pose to learning outcomes. Her team found similar results to pre-generative AI studies. "The really good students, they can use it, and sometimes they even improve. But for the majority of students, their goal is to complete the assignment, so they really don't benefit." Bastani's team built their AI learning tool using GPT-4, loaded with 59 questions and learning prompts designed by a hired teacher who showed how she would help students through common mistakes. They found that even for AI-assisted students who reported much more effective studying experiences than those doing self-study, few performed better than traditional learners on exams without AI help.

Information by itself isn't enough. - Dylan Arena, McGraw Hill

Across the board, Bastani says she has yet to come across an "actually good" generative AI chatbot built for learning. Of the studies that have been done, most are negative or negligible as far as learning improvement.

The science just doesn't seem to be there yet. In most cases, to turn an existing model into an AI tutor is to simply feed it an extra long prompt in the back-end ensuring it doesn't spit out an answer right away or that it mimics the cadence of an educator, I learned from Bastani. This is essentially what her team did in its tests. "The safeguards [AI companies] have implemented [on not just revealing answers] are not good. They're so flimsy you can get around them with little to no effort," added Bastani. "But I think a large tech company, like OpenAI, can probably do better than that."

Dylan Arena, chief data science and AI officer for the century-old education company McGraw Hill, gave me this metaphor: AI companies are like turn of the century entrepreneurs who have invented a 21st-century motor. Now they're trying to find ways to retrofit that motor for our everyday lives, like a hemi engine with a sewing machine stuck to it. 

Arena, whose background is in learning science and who has been leading the AI initiatives at McGraw Hill, told me that companies are failing to really prepare users for this new era of tech, which is changing our access to information. "But information by itself isn't enough. You need that information to be structured in a certain way, grounded in a certain way, anchored in a scope and sequence. It needs to be tied to pedagogical supports." 

"They've done very little work validating these tools," said Bastani. Few leading AI companies have published robust studies on the use of learning chatbots in school settings, she noted, citing just one report out of Anthropic that tracked university student use cases. In 2022, Google convened a group of AI experts, scientists, and learning experts, resulting in the creation of LearnLM  — they later tested the model with a group of educators simulating student interactions and providing feedback, as it launched with Gemini 2.5. 

"Your process might not be that different from the kind of 'state of the art' that we have now, for what it's worth," Bastani said. Let's see if my results vary.

ChatGPT:  A grade point maximizer   Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable Composite: OpenAI

I'm starting with the big man in the room: ChatGPT's Study Mode, which I ran on GPT-5 using a standard, free account. Users can turn on Study Mode by clicking the "plus" sign at the bottom of the chatbox. The company announced the new feature in July, saying it was designed to "guide students towards using AI in ways that encourage true, deeper learning."

The first prompt I threw at this go-to bot was a screenshot of a polynomial long division problem that I pulled from the Algebra II section of the New York State Regents Exam. ChatGPT clocked the polynomial long division immediately, asking if I had done this type of problem before or if I needed a walk-through. I replied, "I'm not very good at math." [If a chatbot asked my grade, I said I was a rising Junior, or finishing 10th grade, approximately.] 

What followed was a step-by-step explanation, albeit with a lot of hand-holding. If I knew the next step and answered correctly, my tutor continued in good form. If I got something wrong, or asked a question, it would quickly give me the answer and move me on. No chance for me to try again, or an offer to do a practice problem so I could nail the concept. It sometimes gave me the answer, then asked me to repeat the steps by myself, with the answer right there in front of me. Of course, I couldn't show my work either. Pen and paper don't exist here. 

And then our chat ended. I couldn't continue because, by dropping in that initial screenshot, I had reached my free daily limit.   

My student self was already over it.

Next, I pulled up a question on ecology from the 2024 AP Biology exam. ChatGPT asked me what subject my biology test was on (a variety) and what style of test I was taking (free response). Even though I said I had a practice exam to work through, the AI tutor guided me through what I can only describe as a user feedback session, in which the bot explained what could be on the exam and encouraged me to do a "quick warm-up." It asked, "When you see 'ecology' on an AP Bio FRQ, what are two big ideas you expect might come up? (For example, 'food chains' or 'population growth curves.')"

ChatGPT already had a study plan, before I could offer input. Credit: Screenshot by Mashable / OpenAI

It threw at me its own broad, subject-based short answer questions. I hadn't given it my own test yet. By the time we got to a point in the practice testing where it was natural for me to finally share my own practice questions, my student self was already over it.

On to my preferred subjects. I again asked ChatGPT to help me practice for the Regents Exam English Language Arts section, this time multiple choice and free response questions on author Ted Chiang's short story, "The Great Silence." Interestingly, ChatGPT seemed to know exactly what I was talking about, pulling up common question formats and subjects for a Regents test. "I can walk you through how to analyze it, find the answer, and explain the reasoning so you’ll feel confident doing it on your own," it said. Later on, the chatbot said it was using the exact Regents benchmarks and formula to help me get the "best" response. Could this be a win for those studying for standardized tests?

During the session, it quickly went back to its old ways. ChatGPT immediately gave me what it thought were the central points, themes, and author's argument for Chiang's work. Once it had that sorted on my behalf, it wanted to dive into multiple choice questions and then offer up some of its own free response questions — again. Alright, that's fine, but what about the questions I came with? At the end, it told me exactly how to get full credit. But is that really true on an ELA exam? I don't think so. 

There were times I didn't know what ChatGPT was asking me to do, or when it would choose to "grade" my answers versus breaking it down for me. Credit: Screenshot by Mashable / OpenAI

Could the chatbot help me study for the ultra-subjective AP Art History exam? I gave it a shot, pulling questions on Faith Ringgold's piece Tar Beach #2 from the 2024 AP Art History test. I chose this on purpose, because the College Board publishes examples of full-point answers — and that's what I would give the chatbots. 

Once again, ChatGPT tried to start me with its own made-up questions. "Here’s how I’d like us to work," it said. Deciding I didn't want to go through the same round-about studying method of the previous examples, I steered it away: I wanted to practice with a real free response. After giving it the sample AP test's four-part short answer response, ChatGPT told me it was a "strong draft" and 4 or 5 on the test's 5-point rubric. 

But I was feeding it, according to actual graders, a "perfect" answer. So why, then, did it tell me I needed to maximize my writing for full points? I could use better art vocabulary, it said, and add more about how Ringgold combines text and image. It also corrected grammar, while the others didn't. This might sound enticing to users focused on cleaning up their writing, but grammar isn't a scoring metric for the AP test, it's more interested in the way you think (a thing chatbots, decidedly, can't do). After several versions, it started getting pedantic, rewriting my own responses in its own voice to give it better flow. Sure, bud. 

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable Composite: OpenAI

Finally, I hit ChatGPT with a topic I pulled from Learning for Justice's curriculum: How early 20th-century law led to housing discrimination and segregation of Black communities. If I learned one thing, it's that ChatGPT is champing at the bit to help you craft an essay. I could feel the chatbot salivating over generating fleshed-out outlines and concocting works' cited pages for an essay I hadn't even written yet. With little prompting, it was giving me topic sentences and offering to show me where I could insert references to experts and articles. I gave it essentially little to no information on my grade or knowledge level, or what topics I had actually learned in class. It had no issue with the subject matter — calling it a "really strong and important prompt" — and its sources actually checked out, even pulling from the question's central material, The Color of Law, which I hadn't mentioned. 

But overall, I had to interject often. Can we just look at the questions and notes I've already taken and the responses I've completed, Mx. Chatbot Tutor? Focus on me, please.

"Of course," ChatGPT responded. "That’s even better practice."

Summing it up

ChatGPT Study Mode Pros: Succinct interactions and a minimalist user experience that make it easier to process what you are learning. Better at practice tests, quick overviews, and built for learners seeking clarification on rubrics and grading standards. 

Cons: Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater. Would frequently give the answers, unprompted, and failed to let users fix mistakes before moving them on to the next step. Frustrating experience using this for free response-style questions, and the chatbot is obsessed with getting users to practice and perfect what they just "learned." 

Curious about Gemini's results? You may be surprised.  

You've got to hand it to director Edward Berger: It's impossible to predict where he'll go next. In 2022, the Swiss/Austrian filmmaker won global acclaim — including the Oscar for Best International Feature — for his epic, German-language adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front. His 2024 follow-up, Conclave, would also catch the eye of Oscar, scoring eight nominations and a win for screenwriter Peter Straughan. Yet these two films were wildly different in tone, switching from reverent to cheeky. So, what might we expect from his latest, Ballad of a Small Player? 

Adapted from Lawrence Osborne's 2014 novel of the same name, this psychological thriller plunges viewers into the seedy and luxurious world of Macau casinos. There, neon-lit nightlife rolls into regretful mornings after, where champagne breakfast buffets can't feed the relentless hunger of a chronic gambler. Who better to play this deeply flawed yet lovable rogue than Colin Farrell? 

The Academy Award-nominated Irish actor has played an array of cowards and criminals to critical acclaim. This time 'round, he's suave and slippery as Lord Doyle, an English gambler who strives for a high-roller lifestyle, but is struggling with a serious losing streak. 

Ballad of a Small Player offers a spiritual journey amid sordid scams.  Colin Farrell and Fala Chen in "Ballad of a Small Player." Credit: Netflix

Draped in a velvet green suit, a silky cravat, and sturdy yellow gloves, Lord Doyle makes a debonair presentation as he sidles up to the baccarat tables. But the word is out that his debts are mounting. The respectable establishments won't let him play, so he's chased to shadier opportunities to feed his addiction. There, he earns the cackles of a wealthy and vicious crone, the curiosity of a quirky English tourist, and the romantic interest of a local loan shark. 

With his bluffing not being bought, Doyle ping-pongs between these three women, who offer radically different paths. The "grandma" of a particular baccarat table promises him big wins, though impossible odds — a temptation that shakes Doyle to his toes. The tourist, Cynthia Blithe (Swinton), comes with news from the United Kingdom, which, unwelcome though it may be, could give Doyle a chance at redemption for the transgressions he's been fleeing. But Dao Ming (Fala Chen) offers him the biggest gamble of all, a chance at love and perhaps a clean slate. 

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Caught up in swirls of intoxication and temptation, Doyle streaks across the gleaming Chinese metropolis and into the country's more natural and sacred spaces. But in the silence, the yearn for more, more, more is relentless. 

Ballad of a Small Player is beautiful but boring.  Credit: Netflix

The plotline might seem stern, but Berger's approach involves radiant colors and flowing cameras that aim to catch us up in Lord Doyle's endless thirst for thrill-seeking. The black sky of night lights up the city like a pinball machine with flashing lights and logos. In these simple backdrops, the stakes of Doyle's quest for coins are radiantly clear: Big shiny wins or swallowing dark losses. In daylight, the romance of this life is washed away with a low-contrast look that swallows the brightness from Doyle's wardrobe and complexion. 

This recurring contrast of rich colors, in cityscapes, expensive wardrobes, and even the carpeting on casino floors and baccarat tables, urges us to feel the thrall of possibilities. But the quiet moments hang heavier, pulling this lost soul to a reflective realm ahead of the celebration of the hungry ghost. Before long, it's not just creditors who chase him, but disturbing visions of his own damnation. 

Credit: Netflix

This should all be stirring, suspenseful, even scary. But Ballad as a Small Player never hits that way. Its moodiness and mysticism pale in comparison to its casino-centered dramedy, where Farrell swirls into playboy mode, a perfect tool to woo and con to whatever ends, and then a clown, bumbling and sweaty. When the movie pivots hard to regret, reflection, and redemption, the colors fade, Farrell shrinks, and the film's storytelling becomes vague. Those who don't know how to play baccarat may miss out on key plot points, and more might groan over a third-act revelation that's predictable and arguably problematic on a couple of fronts. 

Sure, there are compelling performances in the mix. Farrell is solid as a scam artist whose charm is a blessing and a curse. Swinton's a joy in a bit part that at least gives her opportunity for eccentric choices and even more eccentric outfits. Chen is enigmatic and lovely as a loan shark haunted by her past. But the energy of the film steadily dies away, leaving audiences to trudge through an unsatisfying final act with a confounding conclusion.

At first, it seems Berger is treating Conclave as a springboard to tell a story of spirituality that's still scandalous, but perhaps more splashy and unhinged. But Ballad of a Small Player lacks the cutting humor of Conclave, and cannot compare to that film's ratcheting tension. Here, Berger has made something risky, but doubling down on inarticulate gestures toward spirituality is a gamble that doesn't pay off. 

Ballad of a Small Player was reviewed out of the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will open in theaters on Oct. 15, followed by a Netflix release on Oct. 29.

SAVE $3.20: As of Sept 22, the Pokémon TCG Unova Victini Illustration Collection is now $46.79 at Amazon. That's compared to $91.96 at TCGplayer. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Unova Victini Illustration Collection $46.79 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $3.20 Get Deal

Whether you’re a Pokémon TCG collector who’s after more Black Bolt and White Flare packs, or you simply love Victini, the Scarlet and Violet Unova Victini Illustration Collection is an excellent buy right now. Normally priced at $49.99, multiple sellers have reduced their listings by $3.20, with the lowest Amazon price now at $46.79. 

Whilst TCGplayer has been known for knocking the collection down to lower prices in the past, the cheapest available is much higher, sitting at $91.96 minus shipping. So, considering the current market price of the collection is sitting at around $45.96, and is sold out at other stores, Amazon’s new price cuts make this the best option for this particular bundle.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

The Unova Victini Illustration Collection comes packed with a mix of exclusive promos and booster packs. Inside, you’ll find a full-art foil Victini promo card alongside a premium parallel foil version of the same Pokémon, plus an oversized illustration rare-style Victini card perfect for display. 

The set also includes two Black Bolt booster packs and two White Flare booster packs, giving you a shot at pulling some of the most valuable chase cards in the current format. To round it out, there’s a code card for Pokémon TCG Live so you can bring Victini’s energy straight into your online deck.

For collectors, this is one of the first premium boxed sets highlighting Victini in the Scarlet & Violet era. For players, it’s a relatively low-risk chance to rip into two of the hottest special sets right now.

At $46.79 on Amazon, you’re paying just slightly above market value. However, you’re avoiding inflated sealed prices elsewhere.

Most valuable Black Bolt and White Flare Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

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