This week’s main Xbox sale is called Family Time, and as you might expect, the focus is on games that should be suitable for players of all ages. Load up on Lego games, or check out one of our team picks instead…Heidi — Slay the SpireAlright, so I know that it’s not technically in the Family Time sale, but Slay the Spire is always good value for money, and this is especially true when it’s 50% off. I can’t think of many other games that afford such replayability, or which so well embody the idea of ‘easy to learn, difficult to master.’ There’s always time for Slay the Spire, since you can pick it up for five minutes or five hours, and the variety in enemies, bosses, cards, relics, and the layout of your journey all conspire to make that Spire endlessly engaging — especially since every run, no matter how unsuccessful, progresses you towards new unlocks for your future playthroughs. Suffice to say, it’s easy to get hooked on Slay the Spire, and near-impossible to get bored of it — and at 50% off, it’s a real bargain.Slay The SpireWe fused card games and roguelikes together to make the best single player deckbuilder we could. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and Slay the Spire!Kes — StriderHow on earth did Strider make it into the Family Time sale? I mean, sure, if you put it in front of me I’ll pick it, but that begs the question: which sales curator has a family that would want to sit down and play this? The beautifully reimagined 2014 follow-up to the classic 1989 hack and slash platformer is not exactly for family. Put it this way: I cannot picture Vin Diesel taking time out from a barbecue to show it to his kid and Jason Statham. Instead, I can imagine Vin Diesel taking the time out from the loudmouths by the grill, squirrelling himself away in a secluded corner, and smashing out a stage in Strider to hunt for a few hidden goodies on the well-designed and crafty levels. That was certainly the most memorable part of my time playing the early portion of the game back in 2014… the great level design, that is, not Vin Diesel. The platforming controls are sublime and combat is swift and spiky — each time you blitz through an enemy, they exploded in two. Moreover, the aesthetics are frighteningly pretty, even now, and the music is genuinely solid. The game is more than cocky enough for any Fast and Furious crew: Strider literally flies into an active warzone on a hang glider, for goodness’ sake. A return to Strider is required for a full recommendation on my part. However, now I know completion is 12 hours with only one missable, I think I’ll hop into Vin Diesel’s definitely-not-fictional gaming cranny instead of spending time with the family this summer. Seriously, have a peek at Strider for $2.99. I don’t think you will be disappointed. StriderStrider returns, with incredible side-scrolling action and lightning fast combat in a massive interconnected world!Luke — Puyo Puyo Tetris 2I don’t know how or why Puyo Puyo Tetris exists, but I’m glad it does. Purity is such a key element of the best puzzle games, so to see this crossover series laugh in the face of the very thing that makes Tetris so good is wild, and the fact that it actually works is wilder still. Sure, you can just play the two individual components and each is as entertaining as you would hope and expect, but the real hype starts when worlds collide. You can challenge opponents playing the other game, sending blobs to their Tetris well or blocks to their Puyo pit to run interference, and there are even modes that have you actively switch between the two games mid-battle. It’s a lot to get your head around, especially with the two games hinging on completely different setups, patterns, and game plans, but it’s extremely rewarding when it all starts to come together, and the skill ceiling is somewhere near the moon. Seriously, I have a friend who is ridiculous at this game, and we all flat-out refuse to play him these days as we don’t want him to get arrested for murder.Puzzle games are often a hard sell at full price, but at 50% off, I feel like I might be able to convince a few of you to take a punt on this absolute madness. I’ll even sweeten the pot a little for fans of Puzzle Quest and Gems of War: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 has a new mode called Skill Battle which plays out kinda similarly, with unique character abilities, attacks, buffs, and debuffs, although admittedly you don’t get the benefit of being able to take your time here. This marvellous mash-up only came out in December, so being able to snag it for half price already should be a no-brainer if this is your jam. Which is just as well, as you’ll need all of your brain if you plan on playing this to any kind of semi-competent level…Puyo Puyo™ Tetris® 2Puzzle Legends Reunite for the Ultimate CrossoverJapan’s beloved puzzle game series Puyo Puyo and world-renowned Tetris® team up again to deliver even more fun. Play traditional Puyo Puyo and Tetris…or mix them together to level up your game.Sean — Katamari Damacy RerollThe Katamari series is something I’ve always been aware of, but never really dipped into. That was until earlier this week when I saw that Katamari Damacy Reroll had gone on sale for the first time since its Xbox One release. After playing for just a couple of hours, I am annoyed at myself for sleeping on such a fun game. Katamari Damacy Reroll’s gameplay is simple: roll your ball over smaller objects to absorb them and grow your katamari against a time limit. You start off small with things like thumbtacks and matches, but soon you’ll be rolling over and absorbing animals, people, trees, and buildings. This straightforward gameplay is great for when you’re short on time as you can quickly blast out a level or two in under an hour. The only minor gripe I have with Katamari Damacy Reroll would be the controls, which are a little finicky until you get your head around them. I imagine this is a deliberate thing; otherwise, the game would probably be far too easy. Aside from the engaging gameplay, the writing is also excellent and humorous. The King of All Cosmos is hilarious and doesn’t hold back in chastising you, his princely son, when you fail to meet his otherworldly standards. If you’re like me and have always been curious about the Katamari series, don’t wait any longer — pick it up ASAP. The achievement list is pretty simple, apart from the King of Katamari Damacy achievement, which asks you to roll every single item in the game, although to me, that sounds pretty fun. Katamari Damacy REROLLThe beloved roll-em-up game returns with fully updated graphics, completely recreated cutscenes and in full HD!Tom — Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal CollectionMy pick this week has to go to Zoo Tycoon purely on the basis that it looks and plays great, and is even better if you have kids. If you’ve not played the game before, though, don’t go in expecting anything like the original games on PC. This Xbox variant offers a more limited selection of beasties — the subspecies lists are robust, mind — and a smaller game world to play in, but fills it with some great visuals and the novelty of animal interactions. The fun comes from successfully creating a zoological park using limited resources, ensuring your guests are entertained, and of course, looking after the needs of your animals. Once you’ve built what you want, you can drop down into the park as a member of staff and experience it through a zookeeper’s eyes. This is a fantastic game to play with your children, especially when you can jump in your zebra buggy and head out in search of your animals, dodging park guests that don’t seem to be phased one bit by your overzealous manoeuvring, and coming to a stop outside the rhino enclosure. Hop out of the buggy and grab a water gun to give a happy rhinoceros a jet wash shower, offering your child an up-close interaction with a huge animal. To be honest, Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection is best picked up in a sale because the gameplay is more gimmick than robust simulation, and luckily it’s in the sale right now with a 60% discount — worth it, for sure!Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal CollectionThe wildly popular Zoo Tycoon series gets fully-remastered and set to crank up the excitement, challenge, and fun of building the ultimate zoo. Let your imagination run wild with “Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection”! Build, manage, and maintain your dream zoo alone or with up to four players on Xbox LIVE. This zoo simulation will charm animal lovers of all ages.Got your eye on any of these deals, or maybe you’ve spotted something even better? Let us know below!
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