Apple Arcade kicks off 2025 with 7 surprise game launches

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Apple Arcade just got its first update of 2025. The subscription service added seven new games to its roster, including three originals and four updated versions of classic games like Final Fantasy and Trials of Mana.

At the tail end of last year, Apple Arcade revealed a handful of games set to come to its ad-free mobile game service but stopped short of giving them a release date. Today, subscribers can download those seven titles on the iOS device of their choice.

The batch is headlined by Skate City: New York, the latest game by acclaimed mobile developer Snowman. The skateboarding game is a sequel to Apple Arcade’s launch title Skate City, an early standout on the platform. Another big addition is Three Kingdoms Heroes, the latest game from Koei Tecmo. The turn-based tactics game essentially looks like a microtransaction-free version of Fire Emblem Heroes but for the Romance of the Three Kingdom series. It’s well-timed, too, as Koei Tecmo is set to release another Three Kingdoms game, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, later this month.

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Apple Vision Pro owners are even getting something with the update. Gears & Goo, a tower defense game built for Apple’s headset, launches today. Digital Trends demoed it last year and found a simple but satisfyingly tactile strategy game that made good use of the headset’s eye-tracking and gesture controls.

Those new releases are rounded out by four existing mobile games joining the service. The original Final Fantasy and Visions of Mana are the standouts there, with both receiving “+” versions. Subscribers can also download Rodeo Stampede+ and It’s Literally Just Mowing+ today.

Everything we know about the PlayStation handheld

Astro's Playroom booting up on the PlayStation Portal.

Handheld gaming is bigger now than ever, thanks to the Nintendo Switch (and soon-to-be Switch 2) and the Steam Deck. While these portable devices are not as powerful as the best video game consoles, their convenience and relative power make them ideal for anyone who is on the go, shares a TV, or just wants to play from the comfort of their bed.

Xbox has already made its plans clear about its own handheld, but many thought PlayStation had given up on the market after the Vita. It would later release the PlayStation Portal, which can be used for remote play or cloud streaming, but can't play games natively. Now, we have reports of a true PlayStation portable system on the way. Grab your UMDs and chargers while we talk about everything we know about the next PlayStation handheld.
Release speculation

Stardew Valley house upgrade guide: all upgrade costs and more

Stardew Valley player overseeing their farm.

At the start of your adventure in Stardew Valley, you will have a lot of tips and tricks to learn while you try to bring your old farm back to life. You may want to start giving gifts to villagers and messing with some cheats, but one of the most important things to plan for is upgrading your house. After all, you can only make a little one-room house work for so long before you will need a lot more space. These add a lot more functionality and even new gameplay options, but they are big investments in every way. Unlike upgrading and redesigning the layout and look of your farm, you don't have the skills necessary to upgrade an entire house on your own. If you're looking to renovate your shabby little house, here's how all the upgrades work.
All farmhouse upgrades in Stardew Valley

There are three main upgrades you can get in Stardew Valley, plus a number of renovations that open up after you have reached the second house upgrade. Both the main upgrades and renovations can be done by speaking to Robin, providing her with the required resources, and letting her work for a few days.
Upgrade 1
The first house upgrade costs 10,000g and 450 wood and takes Robin three days to finish. This will expand your single-room house with a kitchen you can use to cook meals for yourself or villagers, a fridge to store items that can be used in cooking, and a dedicated bedroom with a larger bed. This upgrade is required if you want to get married.
Upgrade 2
After you have Upgrade 1, you can go another level up by spending 65,000g and 100 Hardwood. This will take Robin another three days and adds two more rooms. The first is empty and can be used for whatever you wish, while the other comes with a crib and two small beds for kids. Naturally, this upgrade is needed if you want to have any children with your partner. Beyond that, this is where the new renovations become available. These are fairly substantial and costly but not required if you want to jump straight to the final upgrade. Here are all the renovations and how much they cost:

I played the Atari Gamestation Go and experienced its pure retro glory

Someone playing the Atari Gamestation Go.

I've seen a lot of gaming handhelds at CES 2025 this week, and they all do more or less the same thing. The Atari Gamestation Go, however, is a refreshing change of pace. As you can tell, it's a retro handheld gaming device, with over 200 Atari games preloaded right at your fingertips, including three different versions of Pac-Man. In many ways, it's a portable version of the Atari Gamestation Pro, a tiny home console version -- but so much better.

Before I move any further, it's important to know that although "Atari" is in the name, both the Gamestation Go and Pro are made by a company called My Arcade. It's a company that knows a thing or two about nailing the specifics of what makes playing retro arcade games feel special, especially after seeing some of its other announcements at the show. The Atari Gamestation Pro has a 7-inch 16:9 display, of course, and it felt great to play on. The handheld was comfortable to hold, and quite light.

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