It‘s July, and we‘re living in a post-Switch 2 and Death Stranding 2 world.
We‘re in the doldrums of summer for real now, and while the game release calendar is anything but empty, it‘s not quite so packed with high-profile releases as it is in other parts of the year.
This month brings us Nintendo‘s second big release for the Nintendo Switch 2 in Donkey Kong Bananza, fresh remakes of Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 3 and 4, as well as Super Mario Party Jamboree, and a bunch of smaller new games worth chasing down.
Of those, we‘re especially looking forward to Grounded 2, the sequel to Obsidian‘s survival game Grounded, in which a quartet of young teens were miniaturized and had to survive the many insects of the backyard.
Ninja Gaiden returns to its sidescroller roots in Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, and Mecha Break looks like it could make for some of the best PvP mech combat yet.
Mecha Break
Release Date: July 1, 2025
PC (Steam), Xbox Series X/S, Android
Mecha Break is a 3v3 or 6v6 hero shooter in which you design your hero and customize your mech to take on other players in a PvP or PvPvE mode.
The mechs are the fast-moving anime-style kind, so expect battles to be lightning fast.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4
Release Date: July 11, 2025
PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch (incl. Switch 2), PC (Steam, Battle.net, Microsoft Store), Xbox Game Pass
Sure, we‘re a little tired of every game getting rebooted, reimagined, remastered, and remade. But it‘s hard to get mad at Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater.
These endlessly replayable games should be on every platform they can fit on. This two-game remake follows in the footsteps of THPS1+2, including both new and classic maps, skaters, modes, and music.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Release Date: July 17, 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Donkey Kong has thrown barrels, driven go-karts, and been shot out of countless barrels.
Now, he‘s making his way through the Underground World in search of Golden Bananas, and he‘s punching his way through anything that gets in his way.
This game appears to follow in the footsteps of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, in that, instead of offering players a curated play experience as Nintendo has traditionally done, we‘re being given the freedom to explore the world.
Sure, you can punch enemies, but the real fun here is in punching everything else as a way of exploring the world. We‘re really hoping this is DK‘s big comeback moment.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Release Date: July 24, 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Super Mario Party Jamboree was released on the Switch last year, but this version has been enhanced for the Switch 2, and that adds some killer features.
Among them is Game Share, which allows a Switch 2 owner to share the game with other people on their local network, including Switch 1 players.
There are also new mini-games to support features like the system‘s onboard mic and the mouse functionality built into each controller. If you already own Jamboree on Switch, there‘s a paid upgrade, or you can buy the Switch 2 Edition of the game and get it all on one cart.
Grounded 2
Release Date: July 29, 2025 (Early Access)
Platforms: PC (Steam), Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass
We can‘t wait for Grounded 2. The first game‘s art was cute, but secretly terrifying—a 1-inch Wolf Spider looks like a kaiju-sized beast when you‘re short enough that a blade of grass provides you with significant shade.
Don‘t even get me started on Black Widows and Wasps. The game had a great blend of survival, building, exploration, terror, and combat.
This sequel to the 2022 game is entering early access, so it‘ll be a little bit before it‘s ready for prime time, but it will have mountable insects (called buggies), and we‘re hoping Obsidian will bring more of their storytelling talent to bear on this sequel.
Tales of the Shire
Release Date: July 29, 2025
Platforms: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
When we think about cozy games, it‘s almost a shock that we‘re only getting a Hobbit-themed cozy game now.
Don‘t worry, your family name here is not Baggins, and you won‘t have to be one of the very few Hobbits to leave the Shire and go on a harrowing adventure. No, your work is at home.
In this game, you will "live the cosy life of a Hobbit in the wonderfully serene landscape of the Shire. Discover, decorate, and share in this idyllic corner of Middle-earth."
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Platforms: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Following in the footsteps of the Prince of Persia games last year, Ninja Gaiden is getting two different, new releases this year (in addition to the earlier remake of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black).
First up is Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, which takes the series back to its sidescrolling roots.
Better yet, the team behind it also developed Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2, two awesome side-scroller search-action games with great combat and the most metal art direction imaginable.
Ninja Gaiden 4 hits later this year—look for it on this list this fall.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
Your Email
