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Metroid Prime 4, a game that was announced just a few months after the first Switch came out, is finally coming out sometime this year.

Frustratingly, we don't know the precise date yet, which makes me think it's closer to the holiday season than we all would like. But I got to play a quick demo of it at a Nintendo event on Wednesday and came away impressed for multiple reasons.

SEE ALSO: Every Switch 2 game revealed in the Nintendo Direct livestream

For starters, it's just nice to step into Samus's power suit again, for the first time in a Prime-style game since 2007. Beyond that, however, this demo was almost more of a tech demo for the Switch 2 than anything to do with Metroid. Not only does it look incredible running on Switch 2 hardware, but it acted as a pretty convincing use case for the new Joy-Con mouse controls. Here's how my time with it went.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond hands-on: It's all about the frame rate and the mouse

The demo Nintendo had at the event I went to was very brief and very un-Metroid; it started with Samus landing in the middle of a warzone, and played more like a traditional combat-focused FPS game with a big boss fight at the end.

There was no exploration or puzzle-solving involved, which makes me think this is the opening sequence and tutorial for the game. The actual game will assuredly have all of the things you want from Metroid in it, don't worry.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorders will start on April 9: Everything you need to know ahead of time

As such, I didn't get a great sense for what sets Prime 4 apart from the others in the series, but I did get a sense for what the Switch 2 can do to enhance a game like this.

For starters, Nintendo had it displayed at 1080p and 120 frames per second. I didn't have a precise frame-counter on screen or anything like that, but to my eyes, it looked silky smooth and totally stable.

I couldn't detect any frame drops whatsoever. It was one of the most "oh wow" moments I had looking at any Switch 2 game.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 vs Switch 1: I played the new console and these are the differences

This demo was mostly a proof-of-concept for the mouse functionality in the new Joy-Con controllers. The way this worked is that, at any time, I could place the right Joy-Con down on a flat surface in front of me (surface provided by Nintendo and not included with the game) and it would automatically turn on mouse controls.

If I wanted to go back to playing with regular dual-analog stick controls, all I had to do was lift up the Joy-Con. It was shockingly easy and seamless.

Purely as a tech demo, Prime 4 was one of the most impressive things at the show, and convinced me the Switch 2 is the real deal under the hood.

Microsoft turns the big 5-0 today (April 4), and the company is kicking off the celebration with a live Copilot event, rumored to include a suite of new announcements for the AI tool, as well as a nostalgic look back on the tech giant's storied history.

SEE ALSO: Has the Trump administration used AI to calculate tariffs?

Windows fans can expect an appearance from Copilot CEO Mustafa Suleyman — and select deals on Microsoft products — but the real star of the show is the iconic Windows 95 logo, back in all its glory to honor Microsoft's more humble beginnings.

Head over to Microsoft's X page for a another festive birthday surprise.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What time does the live event start?

The live event will start at 12:30pm ET (9:30am PT).

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How can I stream the Copilot event?

The Copilot event will stream live on the Microsoft Copilot YouTube page and the Microsoft website. Viewers can also catch birthday content, stories, and updates on Microsoft's 50th anniversary landing page.

With all of the world talking about Trump's tariffs — you know, the set of levies on basically the entire world that's set to wreak havoc in the global trade and make your iPhone more expensive — an important question looms: Has the Trump administration used an AI to calculate those tariffs?

It would be unheard of. Trump's "Reciprocal Tariffs" table — while certainly not definitive at this point — could turn out to be the most important document of the decade. But the numbers on the table indicate tomfoolery.

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert jokes about Trump using ChatGPT for tariff formula

Without going into intricacies of tariffs for every specific country, the thing is, these tariffs aren't reciprocal, despite Trump calling them so. It appears that the White House used a pretty basic formula that divides the trade deficit for the U.S. for a country, then divides that by the total imports from that country, and then divides the result in two. Note that there are no actual tariffs in that formula; a country could be charging a tariff on U.S. imports, but this formula disregards it (the White House countered this by basically providing more proof that this was exactly the case, per finance writer James Surowiecki).

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Then there's the question of the countries and territories included, which include places where there are no people (which is why the internet is today flooded by penguin memes).

Tech artist Gordon Chapman then dropped a bombshell on Threads, indicating that the White House's tariff table corresponds to internet top level domains (instead of, you know, actual countries), which could be proof that it was generated by an AI. Chapman later withdrew the post, explaining that the tariffs table is likely based on this data.

View on Threads Who did the math?

Still, the question remains: How much (human) thought went into the tariffs calculations if the entire thing is just a simple formula applied onto a list of territories which doesn't entirely correspond to places that the U.S. should reasonably be imposing tariffs upon?

According to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, United States Trade Representative (USTR) economists had worked on this stuff for years. Some experts, per Reuters, dismiss this as they consider the tariffs to have "no methodology" that produced "nonsense numbers."

Interestingly, if you ask an LLM, such as ChatGPT, to calculate U.S. tariffs on other countries in an "easy way," you get pretty much the same formula that the White House used. Ouch.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What happens next is unclear

The tariffs figures can be viewed as starting point for further negotiations. In fact, Eric Trump said it pretty bluntly on X: "I wouldn’t want to be the last country that tries to negotiate a trade deal with @realDonaldTrump. The first to negotiate will win - the last will absolutely lose. I have seen this movie my entire life...," he wrote. So maybe the math behind the numbers is less important, if the numbers are all going to change soon.

But if the tariffs calculations have been hastily put together by an AI, that would indicate a new depth of incompetence for the Trump administration, closely following that of using Signal chat to plan military operations and including a journalist in that same chat.

It's hard to prove that the White House used ChatGPT or an equivalent for its tariffs math. The AIs themselves give a fair share of warnings that their calculations are imperfect and simplified, which should give pause to...anyone, really. The signs are out there, though, and we shudder to think what else the White House experts may leave to AI to do.

SAVE $50: As of April 4, the AirPods Pro 2 are on sale at Amazon for $199, 20% off their list price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale featured some nice deals on Apple devices, including on various AirPod models. Even though the sale event is behind us now a few of them are still on sale, even if they're not quite as low as they were during the sale itself. My personal favorites, the AirPods Pro 2, are included in this discounted selection right now. If you've had your eye on them, now is still a good time to pick them up.

The AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale for $199, which is a 20% discount from their list price of $249. While this isn't as low as they were during the Big Spring Sale, this is still a worthy deal to jump on if they've been on your radar. They've even made our lists of the best earbuds and the best headphones, so you know they're worth the investment.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are still at their lowest-ever price at Amazon after the Big Spring Sale

No matter if you enjoy kicking back with new music or getting lost in an audiobook, you'll experience excellent sound quality with the AirPods Pro 2 thanks to the H2 chip. This is further bolstered by noise-canceling features that keep you completely immersed. Active Noise Cancellation gets rid of any outside noise, transparency mode opens things up for you to hear the world around you without disrupting what you're listening to, and Adaptive Audio shifts the noise control depending on where you are and how loud it is.

If you're already immersed in Apple's ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 2 are worth adding into your Apple family. Scoop them up for 20% off their list price at Amazon today.

They aren't the only Apple deal that's available right now, either. You can also save on the 2024 Mac Mini right now at Amazon and the Apple Watch Series 10 is still discounted there as well.

What do Trump’s tariffs mean for tech consumers and the future of AI?

SAVE $300: As of April 4, the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum is on sale at Best Buy for $499, 37% off its list price of $799.

Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot - Roomba j7+ (7550) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum with Automatic Dirt Disposal - Graphite $499 at Best Buy
$799 Save $300 Get Deal

Looking to get some cleaning done as the springtime weather rolls in? The good news is you can still score some great deals on items like robot vacuums to help you out, even with many of the spring sales behind us now. One of our favorite discounts at the moment is on the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum at Best Buy, which has received a $300 discount.

This has dropped the price of the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum from $799 to $499, which is a very nice deal to take advantage of especially considering many of the big spring sales and their deals on robot vacuums have come to an end by now. If you've been looking for a robot vacuum to help make your household cleaning just a little bit easier, the Roomba J7+ is worth every cent. It has powerful suction and empties itself into a bin that can store up to 60 days worth of dirt, so you don't have to worry about it for months.

SEE ALSO: I've tested 20+ robot vacuums and these are the best for every budget in 2025

When it comes to cleaning, the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum features a three-stage cleaning system that offers a powerful clean as it moves around your house, covering hard floors and carpets alike. It can also move around any objects in its way, so there's no need to worry about tidying up before it sets out to clean for the day. And with Imprint Smart Mapping, you can customize a cleaning schedule to figure out specific rooms you want cleaned around the house and when you want them done.

This deal on the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum at Best Buy may not stick around for long, so act fast to save $300 on it.

It isn't the only robot vacuum deal that's crossed our radar recently. Over at Amazon, you can also score a sweet deal on the Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum, which is 50% off at the moment.

The Friend co-stars Bill Murray and Naomi Watts discuss the films they are most proud of and the relationship between sacrifice and art.

The Friend is now in theaters.

We've faced Liberation Day, and everyone is still scrambling to get their heads around how Trump's tariffs will impact the struggling economy.

Stephen Colbert breaks the past 24 hours in the Late Show clip above, from the stock market reaction to the way Trump may or may not have calculated his tariff formula.

"Everybody's trying to figure out the logic behind these tariffs, and according to some guys on the internet who actually did this, the formula is apparently what you get if you ask ChatGPT to make tariff policy," says Colbert, referencing an article by professor and former NYT columnist Paul Krugman. "Ohhh, busted! Somebody cheated on your tariff homework. 'Oh God, I didn't finish my project for Liberation Day! Or start it, or decide what it is! Help me out, Secretary Robo-brain.'"

SAVE $50: As of April 4, the JBL Boombox 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is on sale at Amazon for $449.95, 10% off its list price of $499.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Boombox 3 Black Portable Bluetooth Speaker $449.95 at Amazon
$499.95 Save $50 Get Deal

The arrival of springtime weather means more opportunities to go outside and enjoy some sunshine. There's nothing better than listening to some music outside as well, and to do that you need a good portable speaker. Thankfully, there are still some deals on them available after Amazon's Big Spring Sale, including on the JBL Boombox 3 if you're looking for some big sound to take on the go.

The JBL Boombox 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker has been marked down at Amazon from its list price of $499.95 to $449.95, offering a 10% discount. There are two color options available at this price as well, so you can choose between the black or camouflage speakers. That's not all, either. Your purchase also comes with a 90-day free trial of an Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan. Keep in mind that this offer is only available to new subscribers to Amazon Music Unlimited, though.

SEE ALSO: There's still time to save on the JBL Go 4 portable speaker at Amazon after the Big Spring Sale

Though the JBL Boombox 3 has a larger build it comes with a metal handle so you can carry it around on your adventures, no matter where you go. And with that in mind, it's also dustproof and waterproof, so it can join you on a hike through the woods or on a trip to the beach. You can expect big, rich sound with this speaker as well and an extra-long 24 hour battery life to keep the party going all day.

Amazon has this listed as a limited time deal, so if the JBL Boombox 3 has caught your eye you'll want to act fast to score it at this price.

The best streaming deals to watch 'Y2K' at home: BEST NON-STREAMING OPTION Buy or rent 'Y2K' on Prime Video $19.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent Get Deal BEST OVERALL Max (With Ads) annual subscription $99.99 per year (save 16%) Get Deal BEST NO-ADS OPTION Max Ad-Free annual subscription $169.99/year (save 16%) Get Deal GET MAX FOR FREE Max (With Ads) for Cricket customers Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $9.99/month) Get Deal GET MAX FOR FREE Max (With Ads) Free for DashPass annual plan subscribers (save $9.99 per month) Get Deal BEST FOR STUDENTS Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal BEST BUNDLE DEAL Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 38%) Get Deal

What if the Y2K conspiracy theories ending up being true? That's essentially what A24's Y2K asks and answers in its nostalgic teen disaster comedy.

If you're craving some Chumbawumba "Tubthumping" and killer Tamagotchis, you've come to the right place. The wild millennium stoner comedy is officially available to stream at home this spring — here's everything you need to know to watch.

What is Y2K about?

Directed by Saturday Night Live alum Kyle Mooney and written by Mooney and Evan Winter, Y2K follows two high school besties — Danny (Julian Dennison) and Eli (Jaeden Martell) who aren't exactly in the cool clique. They decide to crash a New Year's Eve house party on the last night of 1999. Unfortunately, Eli's attempts to get his crush Laura's (Rachel Zegler) attention are stifled when the Y2K bug hits at midnight and the technology turns against them. Computers, ceiling fans, microwaves, and even Tamagotchis become weapons, which leads to a midnight massacre.

Check out the full trailer:

Is Y2K worth watching?

"As a first watch, Y2K is a lot of fun. Its teen cast overall has terrific energy, and a supporting cast that includes Alicia Silverstone, Tim Heidecker, and Mooney — as a burnout video store clerk — brings welcomed microdoses of weirdness," Mashable Film Editor Kristy Puchko writes. "The celebration of all things '00s is undeniably charming, even if used superficially. Jokes come fast and frantic, so even if some don't land, there's plenty of laughs to be had."

While the Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience ratings are pretty bleak — just 42 percent and 52 percent, respectively —  our reviewer writes that it's a good time, despite falling short of greatness.

Read our full review of Y2K.

How to watch Y2K at home Credit: A24

Y2K made its theatrical debut on December 6, then almost immediately became available to watch at home later that month via digital video-on-demand platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV. You can purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days for $9.99 or $5.99, respectively. Take note that renting a film gives you 30 days to watch, but only 48 hours to finish once you begin. The A24 horror comedy made its streaming debut in April. Scroll on to learn more.

You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $9.99, rent for $5.99

• Apple TV — buy for $9.99, rent for $5.99

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $9.99, rent for $5.99

• Google Play — buy for $9.99, rent for as low as $4.99

• YouTube — buy for $9.99, rent for as low as $4.99

Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Rent or buy 'Y2K' at Prime Video $5.99 or $9.99 Get Deal Is Y2K streaming?

2000s nostalgia arrived on the small screen this spring — Y2K made its streaming debut on Max on April 4, 2025. A24's new theatrical releases exclusively stream on Max before anywhere else. Thus, Kyle Mooney's disaster comedy will join other recent A24 hits like MaXXXine, Heretic, Queer, and Babygirl.

Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are a few different ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best Max streaming deals below.

The best Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on Max with ads annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (with ads) yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save 16%) Get Deal

While the cheapest monthly Max subscription goes for $9.99 (with ads), an annual subscription brings that cost down to just $8.33 per month. Of course, you'll have to pay for the year up front for $99.99, but it will ultimately end up saving you 16%. You could also just sign up for a single month of service, watch Y2K and whatever else you desire, then cancel before the month ends.

Best Max deal with no ads: Save 16% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (No Ads) annual subscription $169.99 per year (save 16%) Get Deal

Similarly, you can save an extra 16% by committing to a yearly plan of the Max ad-free tiers, for those who cannot fathom watching with ads. You have two tiers to choose from: Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate Ad-Free. The basic ad-free tier costs either $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year (about $14.17 per month), while the Ultimate tier costs either $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month).

Note: Both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, but the Ultimate tier comes with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: Cricket / Max Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month plan Get Deal

Cricket customers on the $60 per month unlimited plan can get Max with ads for free. That's a $99.99 per year value for zero dollars. Just choose Cricket as your provider when logging into Max and enter your credentials to log in. Boom — you're able to watch whatever you want on Max. This is one of your only options to get Max for free in 2025.

Best Max deal for DoorDash users: Free Max with ads with DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: DoorDash / Max Max (with ads) Free with DashPass annual plan ($8/month) Get Deal

Another way to get Max for free in 2025 is through DoorDash's annual DashPass plan. An annual DashPass membership costs $96 per year ($8 per month) and gets you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders, plus a Max subscription (with ads). Eligible subscribers must activate their Max subscription in their DoorDash account. While the free deal only applies to the Max plan with ads, you can also choose to upgrade for a discounted rate to eliminate them.

Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max with ads Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students can sign up for an entire year of Max (with ads) for just $4.99 per month instead of $9.99. That's 50% in savings. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS to retrieve your unique discount code and drop the price.

Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / Max Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

While it's not the cheapest way to watch Y2K and other A24 flicks on Max, the Disney+ bundle is honestly one of the best streaming deals around. You'll get Max, Disney+, and Hulu with ads for only $16.99 per month, as opposed to paying for all three separately for a grand total of $25.97. If you choose to go ad-free, it'll cost you $29.99 per month, which is still a steal compared to the usual cost of $48.97. That's up to 38% in savings for access to three full streaming libraries.

Dozens of companies are building robots that look like humans. One of them is training a machine to be a butler and will soon test them in homes.

You are a small, pixelated human living in a hamlet known as Pelican Town. On your late grandfather's farm, life is all about toiling the land, improving the tiny village, and forming meaningful relationships with fellow townspeople.

That bucolic simplicity is at the heart of Stardew Valley, a 2016 farming simulation that turned turnip harvesting into an uplifting community activity. Nearly ten years later, the game has sold more than 41 million copies, becoming the main example of a growing genre known as "cozy games." 

SEE ALSO: A brief history of meditation video games Cozy games are the future of gaming

Mary Kish, Head of Community at streaming giant Twitch, was one of the first people to review Stardew Valley after it launched on PCs in 2016.

"Stardew Valley's meditative activities often lead to personal reflection in the real world," Kish wrote in her GameSpot review of the farming sim. "It’s a game that tugs at your curiosity as often as it does your heart. Stuffed with rewarding opportunities, Stardew Valley motivates naturally, with blissful optimism."

Stardew Valley had a huge impact on a generation growing tired of Shoot 'Em Up (or "Shmup") games. "I think it might be the most prolific example of what a cozy game is, at least for this generation of gamer," Kish says now. "When I got to play Stardew Valley, it almost felt like time froze. I could feel myself completely letting go of my day-to-day concerns." she said.

Not only did Kish sleep better, she had Stardew dream — the best dreams I've ever had," she says, and would wake up "with a sense of agency."

Cozy gaming has grown since then, in an appropriately low-key way. Twitch's "chill" stream tag was the most watched tag of 2024, and has been added to 3.43 million broadcasts in 2025 so far. Games like Stardew Valley and mega-popular Animal Crossing continue to rack up millions in both sales and Twitch views. 

'Engaging in genuine play is good for you' - Kurt Squire, professor of informatics, UC Irvine

What makes a cozy game? They tend to be low on stimulation, built around aesthetics many of us would call "cute" or "soft." Many revolve around life simulations — running a coffee shop, or power washing a particularly dirty town. Most importantly, cozy games aren't really about winning. They encourage players to enjoy the ride. 

Soaring in popularity during the pandemic, cozy gaming became an oasis for many during a period of increased anxiety and depression. Gamers often describe cozy games as helping them enter relaxed, meditative states and reduce stress. And  science can explain why.

The psychology behind mindfulness and cozy gaming

Here's what research on wellbeing, social and emotional learning, and play tells us: "Engaging in genuine play is good for you and is restorative," says Kurt Squire, a professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine and a veteran video game researcher. "Being surrounded by cuteness and/or positive things is also good." 

Research also suggests gaming can help in achieving meditative flow states, which is why more creators are designing video games explicitly for mindfulness and meditation. Games studied include the nature-driven Flow or the Stardew Valley precursor Harvest Moon. And then there are breath counting games, for which Squire received a grant to build and study with the help of neuropsychologist Richard Davidson, founder of the Center for Healthy Minds. 

In 2019, the Center for Healthy Minds published a study that showed specially designed video games could help young players train their attention and minimize distraction. This was essential to building positive emotional responses, as well as improve focused meditation and open mindfulness practices.

One of the study's authors, Tammi Kral, says mechanics matter just as much as cozy vibes. A game "can have really beautiful art and music, but if the mechanics are frustrating it won't be calming," she says. "Some games might not seem calming, but if someone is able to easily play the game and they enjoy it, they might find relaxation."

Games can foster a feeling of relaxation and contentment, with low learning curves that help keep frustration at bay. This, says Kral, is essential. In clinical studies, such games can be seen reducing a player's levels of the stress hormone cortisol — just as mindfulness practice does.

Casual video gamers show greater engagement and can better restore their moods in response to stressful stimuli, as well as lower heart rates and blood pressure at levels comparable to meditation. A study by researchers at the University of Central Florida, Orlando found that one particular low-stress puzzle game, Sushi Cat 2, had a measurable effect on players' emotional states. 

The cute kittens definitely helped.

Cozy games show an evolution in digital habits 

Cozy games, and the Twitch streamers who play them for thousands of viewers every day, don't explicitly advertise themselves as cortisol-reducing, or flow state-inducing. Still, so-called comfort creators are riding a wave of wellness and mindfulness-centered trends on platforms like TikTok.

Creators like JubileeWhispers, stream whimsical cozy games, like the popular diorama building game Tiny Glade, and classic games like Super Mario Odyssey all while adding elements of ASMR by whispering to their audiences.  

Kennedy, also known as Cozy.Games on TikTok, has become something of a spokesperson for the community. She first got into what she'd later call "cozy gaming" to destress from law school. The budding cozy games community, then mainly on Instagram, felt like a welcoming oasis compared to other gaming spaces. 

"We will always stumble into uncomfortableness in our lives, especially in games. It's how you approach your problems that defines you." - Mary Kish, Head of Community, Twitch

When Kennedy started playing Harvest Moon, something clicked. "I grew up playing platformers, like Mario, and shooters. There weren't really moments to slow down and be and exist. Harvest Moon was the first moment for me where that happened. I was like, 'This is where I want to be forever and ever and ever.'" 

Dedicating much of her life to cozy games has changed Kennedy's own perception of her time and mental health. "I think it's really valuable to be able to read your own emotions," she says. "I realized over time that you couldn't just force yourself to do an activity because you wanted to do it. Sometimes your brain's not ready to do that activity.

"Instead of beating myself up about that, I've come to realize you just have to work with where your brain is in the moment, and sometimes you just need a little 'brain off' time."

Now, cozy games are marketed by big game developers, like Nintendo and Xbox, and have their own category at the annual game awards. Still, Kennedy says that the community have remained overwhelmingly conflict-free, with the main arguments stemming from whether or not a game is "cozy enough." 

That's a rare feat within an industry that is often exclusionary. Online hate and harassment is still a major problem among women and people of color in gaming spaces. Strong moderation is essential to a beneficial gaming experience. In removing the pressure of IRL socialization, Kral says, these spaces can help members of marginalized communities, such as trans players and gamers of color. 

People who ritually played "less serious" video games, and felt uncomfortable claiming to be more than a hobbyist, may find community and identity in being a "cozy gamer," Kral adds. 

Much has been written about the COVID-19 lockdown creating a new cohort of gamers. But it also encouraged lifelong gamers to slow down and take a breath. "Now they're seeing this community of people who are very proud to say, 'Yeah, I am a gamer, and here's how I game a little bit differently. And I'm proud that it's different,'" said Kennedy.

Cozy games foster mindfulness, even if you're not playing them 

On a growing number of Twitch streams, Twitch's Kish says, users are seeking stress-free, relaxed, and immersive environments. "It's not just about de-stressing, it's actually about finding commonality among other people, other gamers, that understand and empathize," she notes. "You're not just watching a game on Twitch. You're actually hanging out with the streamer, and you're hanging out with everybody in chat too."

While more study is needed into the benefits of watching another person play, Squire and Kral both say watching cozy streams could have a similar effect to playing cozy games. 

"There's a ton of research in general, and some research specific to gaming, showing that people can have vicarious experiences," explained Kral. "Just by watching someone else do something, you can gain and you can share in that experience." Mirror neurons, essential to empathy building, fire when looking at video games as much as they do when staring at a fellow human.

Watching others navigate less cozy, more complicated games could have positive benefits, too. "There is a sort of camaraderie and feeling of connection," said Squire. "Part of it is also learning to reframe your mistakes as growing opportunities. Watching other people do it can be revelatory." Comfort creators, in other words, may be modeling social emotional processing for viewers.

SEE ALSO: When the urge to gamble strikes, try mindfulness

And that could have wider implications for the streaming community at large. Kish says game developers, seeking to meet the evolving demands of cozy players, may choose to invest more in building games that have replayability. If you've wrung out all the benefits you can out of playing a cozy game, maybe there's a little more juice left in watching others do so.

"It's like a slightly cheaper, easier way to potentially get some of those benefits or experiences that the actual player is having," says Kral.

"That separation allows you to enjoy their experience passively," adds Kish. "The reality is that we will always stumble into uncomfortableness in our lives, and especially in games. It's how you are able to approach your problems or the obstacles that you face that defines you."

Young people are spending more and more time online, seeking socialization and companionship in an often unhealthy digital environment. And that's where games centered around social-emotional learning can help. 

"Having an activity where you are spending time with yourself and you are able to regulate your emotions after a long day is so important," says Kennedy. "Have that routine, even if it's just like 5 to 10 minutes a day, where you're having intentional time with yourself."

Cozy gaming, she adds, "can truly be so beneficial to your mental health."

Let's be real: PC gaming offers the best possible experience for gamers. We love consoles, too, but you just can't deny it.

High-end gaming computers pack more graphical and processing power than any home console, and they offer a level of freedom in terms of customization and game choice that you’re just not going to find anywhere else. Unfortunately, a desktop PC does force you to keep your gaming sessions tied to your desk.

While desktops deliver elite performance, the best gaming laptops fit into the modern lifestyle more smoothly thanks to their portability. It’s more convenient to take your gaming rig with you on the go, whether that’s to a friend’s place or just to another room. Whether you're looking for a powerhouse that supports eye-popping visuals, a lightweight notebook to fit snugly in your backpack, or hoping to find a gaming laptop on a budget, we promise there's a machine for you.

SEE ALSO: Gaming starter kit: All the gear you need to play like a real gamer What's the best cheap gaming laptop, and is it worth it?

When it comes to gaming laptops, it's totally fine not to immediately spring for the top-of-the-line, $3,000-plus powerhouse. Plenty of gaming laptops fall below the $1,000 mark and are well worth the money. But, we would advise you against going too cheap. You really do get what you pay for, and if you settle for a bottom-of-the-barrel machine, you're not going to be able to run the games you want to play anyway.

Testing the Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop for this guide. Credit: Dylan Haas / Mashable

However, if you're looking to keep a tight budget and don't mind playing via cloud streaming, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is a great option (more details on that laptop below). And if you're looking to spend even less, the Lenovo Gaming Chromebook 16 is another solid cloud gaming laptop, which you can read about in our guide to the best laptops under $500.

What are the best gaming laptops?

Finding the best laptop for your needs and budget can be tricky. They may be easier to parse than their desktop counterparts, but gaming laptops still require a fair bit of careful spec scrutinization. These are no consoles — you can’t just pick the latest generation system off the shelf and get playing. Choosing between the many graphics cards, processors, storage sizes, and screen types can be a real head-scratcher. Thankfully, you've got us to guide you through the process.

Read on to find our recommendations for the best gaming laptops of 2025.

After Wednesday morning's explosive Nintendo Direct livestream dedicated to Switch 2, I got a chance to spend several hours playing some of the games that will bless the new Nintendo console after it launches on June 5. It may not surprise you to hear that the biggest ones from Nintendo itself all seem kind of awesome.

Namely, the two most notable games I played were Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza. The latter isn't a launch game, but they both made strong first impressions – not only as games themselves, but also as demonstrations of what the Switch 2 can do. Let's dig in.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorders will start on April 9: Everything you need to know ahead of time Mario Kart World is going to take over the world

I totally understand if you're completely out on Mario Kart World, at least initially, because of the $80 price tag. It's a lot to swallow considering we only just started getting $70 games a few years ago. I can't necessarily defend or explain the price tag right now, but I can say that after doing a handful of races across multiple modes, World has the potential to be an unbelievably cool entry in the Mario Kart canon.

The big story here is that it's set in a large, seamless open world. This seems to affect every part of the game, as even the traditional Grand Prix mode (in which racers compete across four tracks with a winner declared after all four races are done) has been overhauled to include parts where you have to drive from the end of one track to the beginning of the next.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on: 3 things that make it a must-buy

There is no reprieve from racing, except for in a free-roam mode that I didn't get to try. Races have been expanded from 12 drivers to 24, increasing the amount of on-screen chaos by a great deal.

As far as I'm concerned, the main attraction is Knockout Tour, an elimination-based mode that has players race each other from one end of the continent to another. Along the way, there will be five or six checkpoints with a placement number displayed on it. If you drive across a checkpoint that says "16" while you're in 17th place, the race ends for you while everyone else keeps going.

This is kind of a classic mode in several other racing games, but it's new to Mario Kart and plays very nicely with the sort of Cannonball Run mentality of hoofing it from one end of the world to the other. Knockout races are longer than your average Mario Kart race, but that just adds to the stakes as you keep going and get closer and closer to the end. I haven't been that stressed (complimentary) about a Mario Kart race in a long time.

This is what a Knockout Tour race looks like before you start. Credit: Nintendo

I also appreciate the huge number of new costume options for characters, such as Mariachi Waluigi, a version of King Boo dressed like a little fancy lad, and a Toad whose head is a cheeseburger. Importantly, Nintendo seems to have removed (or at least sidelined in the demo I played) kart customization.

You no longer pick a body, wheels, and a glider, you just pick a character and a kart, like the old days. That feature never really sat right with me in Mario Kart, which is a game that anyone should be able to pick up and play within 30 seconds. I also couldn't tell if characters had stats in this game like they have in some previous games. At the very least, they aren't surfaced on the selection screen.

SEE ALSO: The internet reacts to Nintendo's new Switch 2, 'Mario Kart World'

Other odds and ends include new moves like rail grinding and wall-jumping. The former can be done at several points along any given track, while the latter didn't show up in any of the races I did in my brief time with the game.

I appreciate any additions to the standard Mario Kart moveset nonetheless. There are also mid-race costume changes, parts where everyone will transform into a Goomba while Goombas stampede on the track for some reason, and more. Mario Kart World is a game where something nonsensical and funny happens every 5 to 10 seconds, which is what I want from it.

Donkey Kong: Bananza is doing incredible things with the concept of 'punching' This feels so good to do. Credit: Nintendo

Last but certainly not least was Donkey Kong: Bananza, the incredibly titled 3D platformer starring Donkey Kong, his first starring turn in a game like this in 25 years.

Let's get right to it: This is a game about punching stuff. There are four face buttons on a Switch controller and three of them do different kinds of punches depending on which direction you need to swing at. The other one jumps, in case you were wondering. Nearly all of the terrain in its big, vertically oriented levels is destructible, so if you see something, you can more or less just punch your way through the dirt to get to it. Donkey Kong is not interested in precise platforming. He just wants to smash everything.

SEE ALSO: 'Donkey Kong Bananza' announced at Nintendo Switch 2 event

My time with Bananza was pretty brief, which made the controls a little hard to get used to, though not in a way that made me worried about the game at all. There's just a lot you can do; for instance, DK can rip up a piece of the ground below him and either throw it at enemies or ride around on it like a snowboard made of stone. He can also freely climb up vertical surfaces and roll around in a ball, which makes him a more mobile 3D platformer hero than Mario normally is.

Based on my short time with Bananza, it seems like a game with a lot of secrets to hide. The real magic here is that you can start digging through the world in a way that feels like you're breaking the game or doing something you shouldn't do, only to find that there was actually a secret area beneath you the whole time. Crucially, it just feels really good to punch everything in your path. I'm so glad this game is only coming out about a month after the console launches.

TL;DR: Stop waiting to learn something you'll love when you pick up a guitar with this $29.97 course bundle for beginners.

"Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul/I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll" — this you? If you've been dreaming of getting lost in rock 'n' roll, now's the time to make it happen. Conquer beginning guitar with The Complete Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle by Dan Dresnok, now just $29.97.

What's in the bundle?

This $2,800-valued course bundle contains over 80 hours of content spread between the following 14 courses:

• Songwriting for the Curious Guitarist

• Children's Songs for the Guitar

• Guitar Lessons for the Curious Guitarist

• Jazz for the Curious Guitarist

• Blues for the Curious Guitarist

• Ear Training for the Curious Guitarist

• Beginner Guitar Lessons Crash Course

• Easy Blues Guitar Crash Course

• Christmas Songs for the Curious Guitarist

• Guitar Jam Method

• Fingerstyle for the Curious Guitarist

• Guitar Technique

• Strumming for the Curious Guitarist 

• Bluegrass for the Curious Guitarist

Course content is available in video and PDF format. Students can access it on both desktop and mobile or download it for offline viewing. Jump right in with the 18-lesson "Beginner Guitar Lessons Crash Course," where you can explore theory, notes, chords, and tabs. Channel your inner Bob Dylan in "Songwriting for the Curious Guitarist" and pair lyrical talents with your new guitar skills.

Throughout all the courses, you'll be led by an expert teacher. Instructor Dan Dresnok has over 30 years of experience teaching guitar and boasts thousands of students, from both online and in-person lessons. Across educational platforms, Dresnok has received many high rankings for instruction. He specializes in jazz, blues, and rock guitar, as well as music theory. Dresnok is also the author of The Curious Guitarist.

Can you hear the chords playing yet? Now's the time to get this beginner guitar bundle for just $29.97 and kickstart your new hobby.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dan Dresnok Beginner guitarists cover the basics in this 14-course bundle from 30-year music veteran Dan Dresnok for just $29.97. $29.97
$2,800 Save $2,770.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Streamline your PDF conversion and editing process when you get this SwifDoo PDF Pro license for $29.97.

Editing PDFs with images and multiple text types within them can be a professional nightmare. Not only do you lose formatting, but now you spend twice as much work time fixing the PDF as you would have just editing it. Take your time back and keep your formatting with SwifDoo PDF, a program offering all-in-one editing, conversions, and translation of files, now just $29.97 for a perpetual license (reg. $129).

Advanced PDF editing features

Professional files should be clean and high-quality. Edit and create PDFs precisely the way you need them with SwifDoo. It includes tools to make PDFs from images, files, scans, CAD, and HEIC documents. Edit them as you go or annotate them with notes for a later review. Enhance images or change their size from scanned images for the best presentation. 

Stay productive and efficient even while making big changes to your PDFs. Add or subtract pages easily. Merge several PDF documents together or split one into a few different documents. Insert links or images to fine-tune document content. Use these tools and others to batch-process multiple PDFs simultaneously.

End multi-step file-sharing processes that are inconvenient for teammates and clients. The PDF editor helps make your files shareable by compressing the file size or converting to various formats, including Word DOC/DOCX, Excel, PowerPoint, JPG, HEIC, EPUB, and CAD. Print directly from the program to make double-sided documents or booklets.

SwifDoo can even help you create secure legal documents. Add or remove watermarks and encrypted files that contain confidential information. Input handwritten or uploaded signatures to finalize contract files. Less back-and-forth file sending for your clients means a more pleasant experience working with you.

Use optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text from scanned images. You can turn these into editable file formats while retaining format and layouts. This also works with foreign languages and offers in-program translation for smooth communication.

Process PDFs efficiently with SwifDoo at your fingertips when you get this deal on a perpetual license for just $29.97.

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Opens in a new window Credit: SwifDoo SwifDoo PDF Pro: Perpetual Lifetime License for Windows $29.97
$129 Save $99.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Charge your iPhone on the go with a Speedy Mag wireless charger on sale for $34.97 through April 27.

Opens in a new window Credit: VistaShops Speedy Mag 5,000mAh Wireless Charger for iPhone $34.97
$119.95 Save $84.98 Get Deal

After a few years, even an iPhone battery starts to decay. The days of only charging once a day might be long gone, but that doesn't have to mean you stay glued to an outlet. iPhone users have long had the option to get portable power banks directly from Apple, but have you seen how much the MagGo Power Bank costs?

The Speedy Mag works just like Anker's MagGo at a fraction of the price, and it actually just got cheaper. During this limited-time sale, you can get one of these wireless iPhone chargers on sale for $34.97 (reg. $119). 

A 5,000mAh battery that goes anywhere

The Speedy Mag Wireless iPhone Charger is compact and convenient. It has a built-in magnet that securely attaches to your iPhone to keep a stable charge while you're on the go. The Speedy Mag has a 5,000mAh battery capacity, meaning it can fully recharge some iPhones 1.5 times before it needs to be plugged in. 

This portable charger is compatible with iPhone 12 and newer models, along with any Qi-compatible devices. It even has a spot for wired connections if your phone isn't compatible with wireless charging. 

Don't worry about lugging around a bulky charger. This thing is sleek and slim, so you can still use your phone while it's charging. 

April 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the cutoff to get a Speedy Mag Wireless Charger on sale for $34.97

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Swap your big, pricey phone for the mini $89.97 NanoPhone when you're headed out to sporting events or days at the beach for an affordable, practical backup phone.

Opens in a new window Credit: NanoPhone NanoPhone $89.97
$199.99 Save $110.02 A Miniaturized Smartphone Packed with Mega Features Get Deal

There are just some places your expensive daily driver phone doesn't belong, like dropped in mud while mountain biking or buried under your kids' sandcastle during a beach day.

Swap your SIM into the NanoPhone and stay connected to all the apps you need in this better-than-a-burner backup phone, now just $89.97 (reg. $199.99).

Connection without having to be careful

Carrying a $1,000 piece of tech in your pocket changes how you act. You may not be ready to stick your feet in the surf or follow a friend up a rough trail. But if you swap it out for the NanoPhone, which is small enough to tuck away safely — just the size of a credit card — you'll be ready to get out there. 

And you can stay connected while you do it. Unlike burner flip phones that offer the most basic call and text options, the NanoPhone has typical smartphone capabilities. The NanoPhone runs Android 10, so you can access WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and any other supported favorite apps.

Don't change your activities; change your phone. The NanoPhone is affordable enough to replace if it gets damaged, but you don't have to worry about it thanks to its durable build and included case and screen protector. Keep the 2000mAh battery charged up with a USB-C interface for hours of fun and connection.

Pop in one or two SIMs so you're reachable by your work number. You're connected as long as you're in the range of 4G or WiFi. Navigate with GPS support. Text, watch video tutorials, snap photos with back and front cameras, and make emergency calls — the NanoPhone functions just like your everyday phone without the size (or price tag). 

Do better than a burner phone when you get the $89.97 NanoPhone with this price drop.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The shift from in-office work to hybrid and even full-time work from home has been great for a lot of folks; it allows for greater flexibility, a better work-life balance, and healthier habits. It also gives job seekers greater choice when applying for jobs that would otherwise require a cross-country or cross-state move.

Of course, this major shift comes with some downsides as well. The art of working from home doesn’t jive with all types of workers. Some folks prefer being in an office setting in order to keep themselves accountable for getting their work done efficiently (see: no mid-afternoon naps). Others like the communal aspect of being around colleagues rather than relying on Slack to get their socialization throughout the workday.

It’s no secret that having a designated workspace that's clean and organized will make sitting down and getting to work a whole lot easier than, say, rolling out of bed, grabbing your laptop, and swan-diving right back into bed to get to work (we’ve been there!). But these days, there are also a ton of products and programs designed to make actually sitting down at a desk and getting into the zone that much easier.

That being said, working from home also gives you the ability to multitask and get things done for yourself and your family during your workday. Whether you’re hoping to get fit from home or you want to take advantage of your lunch hour to catch up on laundry, if you play your cards right, it’s pretty feasible to get a lot of shit done. That gives you more time to enjoy yourself once you do close down your laptop for the day.

“While working from home may seem like you'd get easily distracted, I find that working from home is a great way to block your day so that you can be even more motivated to get everything accomplished,” explained Olivia Dreizen Howell, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Starts Registry, certified life coach, and clinical hypnotherapist. “For example, I spend every morning doing a 15-minute timed sprint to write out the day's to-do list while listening to fast and uplifting music, and then will get up to walk around, throw laundry in, bring dishes to the sink, clean up the bathroom for 5 minutes, and then sit back down and transition to classical music or subliminal audios while I begin work!”

What are the best WFH products?

If you’re ready to boost your productivity and get the most out of working from home, we’ve got you covered. The following essentials were tested and reviewed by us, and they've proven to be some of the best WFH gear for upgrading your home office. Whether you want to use your office hours to get in shape or just do some dishes while on a conference call, the following gear will help you perfect the WFH grind.

An incisive expression of family and culture that neither apologizes nor over-explains itself, Roshan Sethi's A Nice Indian Boy is a riotous, moving queer romantic comedy with a wildly unique premise. While it resembles many modern third-culture stories — specifically, tales of disconnect between first-generation South Asians in the West and their immigrant parents — it widens its scope in surprising ways that reflect and refract both personal and cinematic identity.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

Taking inspiration from a romantic Bollywood classic, the film follows a gay Indian American doctor whose parents are nominally accepting, but who want him to find "a nice Indian boy." Long story short: He does! The immediate wrinkle, however, is that this nice Indian boy is none other than Jonathan Groff — yes, Hamilton's original King George — playing a white man raised by Indian parents. 

On one hand, A Nice Indian Boy is the tale of a typical Indian American family, with typical Indian American problems — a generational disconnect, gendered double standards, and a culture of awkward silence around sexuality — but on the other hand, its evolution into grand romantic saga is anything but typical. It's also a story of cross-cultural adoption that dovetails into not only a hilariously awkward meet-the-parents comedy, but also a film about freeing oneself from emotional and generational baggage, in a way that yields tears of joy and laughter.

What is A Nice Indian Boy about? Credit: Blue Harbor Entertainment

Dr. Naveen Gavaskar (Deadpool's Karan Soni) is the kind of realistic queer protagonist seldom seen in Hollywood: an introverted gay man who'd rather be at home than at the club — or in the case of the movie's opening scene, at his sister's colorful wedding reception. As the guests dance to thumping tunes, and the camera tilts and spins to capture them, Naveen sits still, fending off over-enthusiastic family members whose words of marital encouragement sound more like a dire warning: "You're next!"

What Naveen's nosy aunties and uncles don't know, and what his parents begrudgingly accept, is that his wedding won't quite look like a Hindi movie, since he happens to be into guys.

Six years go by — notably, the amount of time between Sethi coming out and the film's premiere — and Naveen's life away from his parents is somewhat content, even though it involves lonely nights of leaving exes and crushes some uncomfortably awkward voice messages. He has absolutely no game, despite the efforts of his outgoing gay colleague Paul (Peter S. Kim) to bring him out of his shell. But the gods eventually smile on him when he comes across an attractive white photographer, Jay Kurundkar (Groff), at his local mandir (or temple) while praying to a statue of Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom and good luck.

Two things immediately stand out about Jay: his tranquil charm, and his authentic pronunciation of "Ganesh" — with an extended "e" as in "lace," rather than the protracted "e" of words like "less," to which most Westerners default. Naveen is immediately flustered by Jay's confident stares, but agrees to accompany him on a date to his favorite movie, which, to the good doctor's surprise, turns out to be Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (or DDLJ), the iconic 1995 Bollywood romance about two star-crossed Indian Londoners, whose musical centerpiece features superstar Shah Rukh Khan serenading actress Kajol in a field of yellow mustard flowers.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'The Romantics': A nostalgic and impassioned tribute to Hindi cinema

But instead of being bowled over by this gesture, Naveen finds himself unable to fully embrace the film or Jay's off-key crooning of its famous track, "Tujhe Dekha To" (yes, Groff sings it himself, with barely a syllable out of place). Sincerity and vulnerability remain obstacles to Naveen, even after he and Jay start dating. This proves mildly problematic when meeting each other's friends, but it's downright disastrous when the question of Jay meeting Naveen's parents arises, given how little he's told them about his white, freelance photographer boyfriend who vapes and waxes poetic about Hindi cinema.

The results are as side-splitting as they are disheartening, because the one lesson A Nice Indian Boy takes from DDLJ is that Indian romantic films are family dramas too. However, what initially seems hopeless ends up an exciting challenge, because Jay has also internalized this lesson. And, like Shah Rukh Khan's brash Raj Malhotra, he'll stop at nothing to win over the parents of the person he loves.

A Nice Indian Boy is also a family drama. Credit: Blue Harbor Entertainment

The film, written by Eric Randall, is based on the play by Madhuri Shekar, and it has the structure of a five-act play, with each section broken up by significant time jumps. This ends up serving a dual purpose. On one hand, this shifts the typical feel-good rom-com climax to the middle of the story, away from its usual place in most three-act Hollywood screenplays, where it serves as a resolution. In the process, A Nice Indian Boy allows for the realities of long-term romance and wedding planning to creep in through the corners of the frame, beyond the broad declarations of love.

On the other hand, it also allows each member of Naveen's family to have their own dedicated section of the movie, during which they become a primary character. Like Naveen, his sister Arundhathi (Sunita Mani) harbors a grudge against their parents for the choices she did and didn't have while growing up, including in matters of love, and she sees their increased leeway with Naveen as a matter of grave injustice. Meanwhile, their outspoken mother Megha (Zarna Garg) tries to smooth things over with both children, but since she's just as hot-headed as her daughter, it's easier said than done. In terms of temperament, Naveen takes after his father Archit (Harish Patel), though his silent acceptance of Naveen's sexuality — while avoiding eye contact at all cost — hurts more than outright disapproval. Like his son, Archit has a problem with expressing himself honestly.

However, Megha and Archit's genuine attempts to bridge the gap between themselves and Naveen also leads to some uproarious overcompensation, between the topics they bring up in Jay's presence without any filter whatsoever, to their sincere attempts to educate themselves by binging raunchy reality shows on OutTV and bringing them up in conversation. It's incredibly funny and incredibly sweet, but none of these superficial gestures — no matter how well-meaning — are a substitute for the real emotional work the Gavaskar family needs.

The film doesn't let Naveen off the hook either, whether it comes to his avoidance of intimacy or the walls he keeps up between him and his family members. Those walls only start to come down after some rigorous and difficult dramatic moments, which Sethi directs with incredible command.

A Nice Indian Boy is brilliantly directed.   Credit: Blue Harbor Entertainment

The film's premise resembles a number of third-culture films and shows featuring South Asians in the West, like The Big Sick, Ms. Marvel, and Blinded by the Light. These stories of artistically driven first-gen kids and their immigrant parents who "just don't understand" have settled into a rote rhythm in recent years. A fellow SXSW selection, the lukewarm The Queen of My Dreams, is a key example: a similarly Bollywood-inspired tale of a queer Pakistani Canadian who nominally reconciles with her conservative mother. It's rarely a good sign when you can map out the beats of a story based on its cultural premise, but A Nice Indian Boy finds numerous visual and thematic ways to buck that trend.

SEE ALSO: Bollywood's dad, Anupam Kher, on the unique warmth of 'The Big Sick'

It stands out, first and foremost, through its bustling visual energy, which not only captures the chaos and excitement constantly unfolding around Naveen — at weddings, family meetings, or parties hosted by Jay's outgoing friends — but also serves to magnify his glum stillness as the camera pushes in and pulls out prominently during both comedy beats and charged emotional moments. The film's comedy and drama stem from the same place: the tension of expectations, whether it involves Naveen wrestling with his prescribed role as an Indian man in the West; the implications of his queerness, according to his parents; or how Jay will fit into the Gavaskars' family dynamic.

What Jay yearns for, as a perpetual outsider who found love in an Indian household once before, is just as vital to the movie as Naveen's search for emotional authenticity. And when the film begins drawing more overtly from Bollywood iconography, it weaves together its grandiose romance from both their perspectives. To Jay, Hindi cinema is the ultimate expression of love and acceptance. To Naveen, it's a cheesy façade. The truth, it turns out, may lie somewhere in between, with Sethi presenting the story's key turning points as stylistic handshakes between formal grandeur and naturalistic, self-aware comedy, without compromising either character’s point of view. The movie's sweeping declarations are as bold and unapologetic as they are goofy and silly, so they end up running the emotional gamut.

Rarely has a rom-com been this simultaneously hysterical and touching, though despite its boisterous tone, its biggest strength may very well be its silent moments. The father-son pairing of Naveen and Archit tend to find solace in silence, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. So, in order to draw them out of their comfort zones, A Nice Indian Boy becomes a film about gestures both big and small. Its most heartrending moments arrive in the form of these two men — separated by generational disconnect, but bound by common cultural expectations — adapting to other people's modes of expression in the small ways they're able to. Over the course of the film, they learn to speak other people's love languages, leading to rousing, overwhelming moments (some of them in delightful musical form). 

In a just world, A Nice Indian Boy would find instant distribution and be hailed alongside Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding as a realistic family portrait whose jagged edges aren't just riveting, but revelatory. It's as sweet and funny as they come, and the kind of crowd-pleaser destined to leave your heart feeling full.

A Nice Indian Boy is now in theaters.

UPDATE: Apr. 2, 2025, 1:00 p.m. EDT A Nice Indian Boy was reviewed out of its World Premiere at SXSW 2024 on March 23, 2024. It has been updated for its theatrical run.