Another weekend is upon us, so you’re probably looking for some new games to play over the course of it. Thankfully, video game subscription services like Xbox Game Pass offer up lots of great options if you’re looking for something new to play and keep adding more every week. These first two weeks of July have been particularly solid for Xbox Game Pass, as several titles well worth your time just came to the service. I’m highlighting three of those here.
First is a creative first-person shooter where you must play cards in order to use your weapons and complete increasingly difficult action-platforming challenges. Next is an entertaining crossover fighting game that lets players pit their favorite Nickelodeon characters against each other. Finally, we have a The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild-inspired indie game based on the Pacific islands of New Caledonia that was one of my favorite indie games of 2023.
Neon White
Angel Matrix and Annapurna Interactive’s Neon White is one of the best games of this decade. It takes the fast-paced platforming of a game like Celeste and reimagines it from a first-person perspective with a unique gimmick. It’s always thrilling to dash through a level at high speed, determining when the right time to play my weapon cards is. Each doubles as an attack and platforming ability; a large explosion from a rocket launcher could boost me up in the air while killing enemies, for example. That essentially makes Neon White a puzzle game, as it’s up to players to find the most efficient way to kill all of the enemies in a stage and get to the end of it as quickly as possible.
Neon White sometimes demands mastery but also rewards it. Hidden collectibles in each level are there for those who learn the intricacies of the controls, while time trial leaderboards encourage players to refine their skills. On top of all that, it features a compelling story about finding purpose in the afterlife and whether or not redemption ispossible for those who live less-than-stellar lives. If you’ve never played Neon White before, you must give it a shot now that it’s on Xbox Game Pass.
Neon White is now available via Xbox Game Pass across console, PC, and cloud. It’s also available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
While no game has been able to take Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s crown in the fighting game subgenre of platform fighters, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 still offers up a very good time. A sequel to a surprise hit licensed title from GameMill Entertainment (a publisher who doesn’t have the best track record), Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is even better than the game that came before it. It takes advantage of all the great franchises at Nickelodeon’s disposal, featuring fighters and stages based on series like SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Invader Zim, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Loud House, The Wild Thornberries, Danny Phantom, and more.
On top of all that, it’s a mechanically solid fighter with interesting combos for each character. If you’re a fairly hardcore Super Smash Bros. player, you’ll feel right at home here. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is more robust in its content offerings than its predecessor too. Of course, there are new characters like Plankton and El Tigre, but there are also new modes like Squad Battles and a roguelike campaign that really ups Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2’s replay value. If you’re having a family celebration this weekend and want to keep the kids entertained, this is a great game to boot up as well.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is available across the PC, console, and cloud versions of Xbox Game Pass. It is also on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5.
Tchia
Did you enjoy the exploration and climbing of Breath of the Wild, but got overwhelmed by the Fuse and Ultrahand mechanics of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? Then, you might enjoy Tchia from Awaceb and Kepler Interactive. Tchia touts itself as a “game inspired by New Caledonia,” a Pacific archipelago that is under France’s jurisdiction, but has a very unique culture of its own. Tchia immerses players in that culture while also telling a coming-of-age story about a girl trying to save her father.
From a gameplay perspective, Tchia gives players the freedom to explore its island and climb almost anything. On top of that, it’s possible to possess a lot of objects and animals, so you can fly around in the air as a bird, plummet down a mountain as a rock, or open up chests with a crab’s strong claws. It’s a game I like to vibe in, swinging from tree to tree while listening to its incredible soundtrack. If that sounds appealing to you, then I wholeheartedly recommend checking Tchia out.
Like the other games on this list, Tchia is available through Xbox Game Pass across PC, console, and cloud and available to purchase on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5.
