When video games were just abstract concepts on university computers, book clubs were already popular. When Toad told Mario the princess was in another castle, introducing video game narrative to millions of living rooms, readers were already comparing notes on Jane Eyre. So, it's only natural that as video games became more narratively ambitious, they'd take this familiar page from the literary world. So, move over, Oprah--you've got competition. Delivered as multi-episode podcast seasons, these "video game book clubs" earn the moniker thanks to weekly deep dive episodes into narrative-heavy video games, and ongoing, guided discussions among their robust listener communities.

A decade ago today saw the Japanese release of Sony's last dedicated gaming handheld, the PlayStation Vita. It wasn't quite as popular as its predecessor the PlayStation Portable (or its main rival the Nintendo 3DS), and Sony is still trying to bring its gaming experience to mobile, but the Vita still holds a special place in the hearts of those who owned one. At Engadget, that's Nathan Ingraham and Devindra Hardawar, who have both extolled the virtues of the system in our internal Slack many times over the years (yes, I checked). So on the Vita's 10th birthday we've asked our resident experts what their favorite games for the system were, and inspired them to dig the shiny little handheld out of their closets for another go-around. The freedom of Gravity Rush's acrobatic gameplay, which lets you fall through the air in every direction, as well as walk along the sides and bottoms of buildings, went hand-in-hand with the Vita's portability.

The Nintendo Switch has undoubtedly become one of the biggest gadget entries in recent years, both in terms of revenue for its maker and also the appreciation that it has gained from users. The fact that the Switch -- launched on March 3 -- was the biggest selling product on both this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales is proof that with this delectable video game console, Nintendo has scored one of its most significant hits outside of Japan, its country of origin. Behind this success were some great game titles that came to the Switch. From the brilliantly bloody horror game'Doom' to the smart revamp of an old character driven game, 'Super Mario Odyssey' to the stunningly gorgeous and seductively mysterious'The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild,' Nintendo has brought out games that appeal to people with a wide spectrum of tastes, to ensure that the Switch becomes the success that it is today. The latest entrant in this formidable and growing arsenal of game titles is'Xenoblade Chronicles 2.' Released Dec. 1, the game is a lavishly realized open world adventure that is already gaining rave reviews from users.