By: Max Cannon
If you've been playing games for a while then you're no stranger to the high prices of brand new games. Gaming can be an expensive hobby but it doesn't have to be. If you're looking in the right place you can play tons of games for the cost of a single new one.
Fun with Free-to-Play
Free-to-play games are exactly what they sound like, they're games that don't require a purchase to play. Mostly downloadable only, free-to-play games don't require a purchase but make their money by offering optional cosmetics for a small fee. Character skins, emotes, and loot boxes may seem tempting but you don't often need to pay for them to enjoy their games.
Nintendo's New Switch - Kidzworld Weekly News
Fortnite, one of the most popular free-to-play games, offers players a deeper experience by paying for their optional challenges, you can still enjoy the gameplay of Battle Royale without paying a single penny. On Xbox and Nintendo, you'll need an online subscription to play the game, but every other platform just needs you to download the game and get playing. It can be easy to get sucked into spending on these games but there is no reason to do it if you're simply looking for something fun to play.
Used Games
If you've ever walked into a GameStop then you've likely seen walls filled with older games at lower prices. While a lot of those games are running on current-gen systems like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, if you're playing on an older machine then you can get these games for just a few bucks. Just because a lot of these games are old and cheap doesn't mean they aren't worth your time. For example, you could get 5 or 6 of the best games on the 360 or PS3 for around $20, which is a third of the price you'd pay for a brand new title that had just released.
GameStop buys and sells used games for dirt cheap.
Saving With Subscriptions
Many players already have access to one of the subscription services either through Nintendo Switch Online, Xbox Gold, or PlayStation Plus which gets you access to online games on the corresponding device. These subscriptions also get you access to some free games. PlayStation Plus gives players 2 PS4 games a month and Xbox Live Gold gives 2 Xbox One games and 2 backwards compatible games for Xbox One/Xbox 360.
For the price of two new games, you can have access to a massive library of Xbox games for a year.
While you won't always get something you like, it's a chance to try out something you may not already have so it's always worth at least trying out the offerings, though some months give better games than others. Nintendo's online service will also get you access to a catalog of games on your Switch that was originally on the first Nintendo system. These older games don't quite have the freshness of the modern offerings on other platforms but you'll find plenty to love about the classics like Mario, Zelda, and Kirby.
Content Heavy Games
Being picky about your games can really stretch your dollars a long way. While you could pay $60 for some giant games and wrap things up over a weekend, certain titles will definitely give you your money's worth. Whether you're diving into repeated fun through the online or getting lost in a massive open-world, checking out reviews for the latest games will give you an indicator if there is a ton of content in your single package.
Breath of the Wild is guaranteed to give you plenty to do.
Share Your Thoughts!
How often do you try out new games? What are your tips for saving money and enjoying gaming? Share your thoughts below and leave a comment!
