We saw some high-profile game and console releases in 2024, but our top-read articles focused mostly on emulation, older games, and retro consoles. Here are the articles you read most in the past year.
10How to Fix Stick Drift on Your PS5 Controller
Stick drift isn’t always predictable. It can appear and disappear from one moment to the next, but it invariably leads to the feeling that you can’t trust your controller. With potentiometer-based controllers, it’s usually a matter of when not if stick drift will occur.
Stick drift occurs when analog sticks register input even when you’re not touching them. Worn-out parts and dirt are to blame for a compromised experience that greatly reduces accuracy. As the PlayStation 5 ages, plenty of DualSense owners are encountering this issue, which explains why this guide proved so popular in 2024.
ByTim Brookes- Published July 07, 2025
9Dolphin Emulator Gets Its First New Version Number in 8 Years
The new rolling release structure effectively turns Dolphin’s “beta builds” into full, proper releases. While this may sound a bit unorthodox, users were supposed to follow Dolphin 5.0’s beta update track, as “stable” versions of the emulator were always comically outdated.
Dolphin is a Wii and GameCube emulator that runs almost 70% of compatible games perfectly and lets you do neat things like play games at upscaled resolutions or play online with other Dolphin users. In July, Andrew Heinzmann highlighted how developers had revamped the emulator’s release schedule and given the logo a bit of a polish.
ByAndrew Heinzmann- Published Jul 31, 2025
8Why I’m Still Looking for a Nintendo Wii This Christmas
Right now, on eBay, you can get a used Wii for anywhere between $25 and $50, although a full console will run you around $75 with controllers and maybe a few pack-in games. Considering the current price of a new Switch is $300 without a bundle, this is around a quarter of the cost.
The Nintendo Wii is one of the most successful consoles of all time, and for good reason. As nostalgia for the console grows, Jason Dookeran went hunting for one for Christmas. The console is easy to mod, has great motion controls, features a stellar lineup of games, and can be found for as little as $25 if you know where to look.
ByJason Dookeran- Published Jul 07, 2025
7There’s a Better Alternative to Video Game Difficulty Settings, but Nobody Uses It
By using dynamic difficulty, games are able to adapt to a player’s skill level, creating experiences that are accessible to casual gamers and challenging for a hardcore audience. Whereas many games are criticized for being either too easy or too unforgiving, dynamic difficulty provides a way for everyone to enjoy the same title.
Dynamic difficulty in video games is nothing new, as Maximilian Padilla-Rodriguez explains, but it remains sorely underutilized. Some of the best games of all time have used reactive difficulty systems to make games feel challenging but fair.
ByMaximilian Padilla-Rodriguez- Published May 23, 2025
6HTC VIVE Focus Vision Review: Blurring The Lines Between Virtual and Reality
I have been on many rides where they try and make you feel like you’re a part of the experience. I’ve used other VR headsets (albeit not extensively) in the past. I’ve had so many other experiences that have tried to replace reality with something else, and nothing has been as close to doing that as the VIVE Focus Vision. It was almost scary.
Patrick Campanale could hardly contain their joy when reviewing the HTC VIVE Focus Vision. According to Patrick, the headset is comfortable for long sessions, works great even if you wear glasses, boasts excellent quality displays, and doesn’t rely on external sensors. Best of all, you may use the headset standalone or with your PC.
ByPatrick Campanale- Published Jul 01, 2025
510 PS4 Games You Should Play Again on PS5
The Last of Us has become one of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, with a successful TV adaptation to boot. When Part II arrived on PS4, it quickly earned its title as one of the best story-driven action games of all time. With the PS5 remaster, the game is just as good as you remember except with 4K support and higher, more stable frame rates.
I’m so grateful that modern console manufacturers have fully embraced the concept of backward compatibility. But did you know that your PlayStation 5 console is not only capable of playing PS4 games, but it can also do so at higher resolutions and frame rates? That’s why games likeDeath Stranding,Ghost of TsushimaandMetro: Exodusare worth playing again on Sony’s latest hardware.
ByTim Brookes- Published Jul 16, 2025
4The Xbox 360 Storefront Is Closed, But You Can Still Buy Digital Games
Your download history will provide a complete list of every game or demo you have purchased that works on an Xbox 360. At the top of this list will be your most recent purchases, which is where you’ll find the digital games you have bought from the other Xbox storefronts. Select the title you wish to download onto the console, then select “Download Again.”
2024 was a sad year for the Xbox 360, as Microsoft shuttered the console’s storefront which resulted in a number of games and add-ons disappearing for good. Despite the closure, Maximilian Padilla-Rodriguez noticed that you can still buy games for the platform using a modern Xbox or web browser and the Xbox 360’s “Download History” function.
ByMaximilian Padilla-Rodriguez- Published Jul 03, 2025
3The Best of Steam’s Summer Sale: 15 Brilliant PC Games for Under $5
There’s been a murder, and it’s your job to investigate it. The problem is, you’re so hungover you barely remember your own name. That’s how Disco Elysium begins, and it’s a great representation of the dark, sharply-written, and often surprisingly funny gameplay.
Steam is known for its epic sales, and the summer of 2024 was no different. Dan Helyer threw together a list of 15 bargains with highlights likePortal 2for 99c,The Witcher 3for $3.99, andDisco Elysiumfor $3.99. Though outdated now, these titles are frequently discounted during Steam’s quarterly sales events so add them to your wishlist and save some money when the time comes (the winter sale is on right now, as I type this).
ByDan Helyer- Published Aug 07, 2025
210 Games to Play Now While You Wait for GTA VI
The GTA franchise isn’t just iconic, it’s the gold standard. It’s the open-world video game that everybody knows and loves, thanks to its realistic cities and polished gameplay. While GTA VI is right around the corner, I wanted to highlight a few similar games to help you warm up for the big release.
As we move into 2025,GTA VIis due for release in just a matter of months. Fortunately, there are plenty of other games you can play to scratch the open-world itch while you wait. Ismar Hrnjicevic has produced a list of 10 of the best, from the obviousRed Dead Redemption 2to older classics likeSleeping Dogs.
ByIsmar Hrnjicevic- Published Aug 08, 2025
1Dolphin Is Now an Even Better Wii and GameCube Emulator
By fine-tuning the synchronization between the emulated CPU and GPU, the developers have managed to reduce the occurrence of “unknown opcode” errors that plagued a number of games. This translates to smoother gameplay.
After a dismal year for emulation that saw two prominent Nintendo Switch emulators shut down, GameCube and Wii emulator Dolphin added a silver lining with the release of version 2412 in December. Arol Wright reported on this major release that made some big improvements to the emulator’s sound engine, CPU and GPU sync, Linux support, and many more tweaks under the hood.
ByArol Wright- Published Jul 06, 2025
2025 is shaping up to be a huge year for gaming, with the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement expected before March 31 (followed by a release sometime later in the year), the launch ofGTA VI, and NVIDIA’s new 5000 series graphics cards on the horizon.
Enjoy these roundups? Check outHow-To Geek’s top overall articles of 2024.
