The countdown to Christmas has well and truly begun, and what better way to celebrate the holiday – whether you celebrate Christmas or a different occasion – than with some great games?
Believe it or not, December is often a slightly quieter month for games; although it’s the month in which Christmas falls, companies usually want to drum up a little more interest in their titles ahead of time rather than releasing close to the holiday.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t any great games to play in December, though, so without further ado, let’s take a look at all the best games launching this holiday season!
Antonblast (PC – December 3rd, Switch – TBA)
“Platformers that owe a lot to Wario Land” now appears to be working its way into the hallowed halls of being a genre, so here’s Antonblast to take its place alongside Pizza Tower in that regard.
Described by its developers as a “fast-paced explosive action platformer”, Antonblast offers exactly the kind of high-octane thrills you’d want from a Wario Land game, and it’s got the spiky, jerky animation to match.
The PC version is due out on December 3rd, but the Switch version will take a little longer. However, developer Summitsphere has declared that it still intends to launch Antonblast on Switch before the end of the year.
Fantasian Neo Dimension (PC, PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch – December 5th)
The creative team behind Fantasian alone should get you to sit up and pay attention, especially if you’re a fan of JRPGs, because there are some serious heavy hitters involved with this one.
Developed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Mistwalker studio, Fantasian boasts Sakaguchi’s involvement as a producer, as well as composer Nobuo Uematsu on music duties.
This remastered version of the game finally frees it from its Apple Arcade prison, allowing players on other platforms to experience this epic adventure without needing to join the Apple “family”.
RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic (Nintendo Switch – December 5th)
Are you in the market for some old-school management sim fun? If so, then you’ll want to check out RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic when it launches on Switch this month.
Originally released for mobile in 2016 and then for PC the following year, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic combines the features of both the original game and its much-loved sequel to create something fresh but familiar.
If you tried out this year’s Planet Coaster 2 and found it just a little too complex and grandiose for your tastes, then RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic will almost certainly be the sim for you.
Infinity Nikki (PC, PlayStation 5 – December 5th)
Did you find yourself playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or followup Tears of the Kingdom and wishing that they didn’t have quite so much combat and conflict? If so, then Infinity Nikki could be the game for you.
This self-described “cosy open-world game” has plenty of secrets to discover and expansive lands to explore, and though it does have combat, that’s very much not the element at the foreground of proceedings.
Instead, it’s all about exploration, atmosphere, and relaxation. You’ll discover delightful platforming challenges, meet fascinating new NPCs across the world of Miraland, and collect tons of outfits to pair with your adventure.
Marvel Rivals (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S – December 6th)
Hero shooters might feel like a done deal in 2024, especially given the high-profile failure of Sony’s Concord, but NetEase is betting there’s still some life in the genre.
Marvel Rivals does, of course, have the benefit of a huge IP name behind it, but if there’s any property that stands a good chance of being able to make hero shooters work, it’s Marvel.
With a diverse roster of heroes and roles to try out, as well as some surprisingly obscure picks for Marvel nerds, Marvel Rivals could be your new multiplayer mainstay.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (PC, Xbox Series X/S – December 9th)
We’re sure we don’t need to tell you why this one’s on the list. MachineGames’ foray into the Indiana Jones series looks to be combining the fast-paced gameplay of its Wolfenstein reboots with the puzzles and swashbuckling atmosphere of the legendary movie franchise.
As Indy, you’ll globetrot your way across a series of exotic locations, sneaking past camps of dastardly guards and uncovering world-spanning mysteries.
The world of Indiana Jones is surprisingly ill-covered in gaming, so we’re hoping that MachineGames’ take on the franchise can inject some much-needed relevance into Indy’s life once again.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch – December 10th)
With Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered, Aspyr is promising to do for the Legacy of Kain series what it did for the Tomb Raider franchise earlier this year.
This package will offer remastered versions of the first two Soul Reaver games (although they’re not the first two Legacy of Kain games, since the original Blood Omen won’t be offered as part of this collection).
Expect enhanced visuals, improved gameplay, and a map to help you figure out where you’re supposed to go next, as well as other miscellaneous enhancements.
Hopefully, if this collection does well, we can expect remastered versions of the Blood Omen games, as well as the crossover Defiance, which arguably remains one of the most underrated action-adventure titles of the PS2 era.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch – December 10th)
If you’ve got any kind of nostalgia for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, you owe it to yourself to check out this throwback sidescrolling brawler from developer Digital Eclipse.
Rita’s Rewind takes things back to the good old days of the Power Rangers franchise; this is classic Power Rangers as you might remember it if you grew up in the 90s.
That means lots of chonky pixel art, plenty of beat-’em-up shenanigans, and the chance to experience events you might remember from the show itself, albeit with a modern twist that may surprise you.
