3 new Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (July 12-14)

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