Every week, it feels like we’ve got even more games for an ever growing ecosystem of play. So every Tuesday, we cut through the release list to find the five games worth your time and money. Starting this week with a game that we’ve spent years clamoring for.
Pick Of The Week: Cuphead, Friday ($20, Xbox One and PC)
Sure, there’s nothing like a finely tuned, heavily tweaked platformer, and Cuphead has those goods. But what’s kept this game on the tip of tongues (and made the years-long wait worth it) is the art style, a tribute to the witty animation of the 1920s and 30s. If you love classic animation, you’re probably already wondering how the team behind this game pulled off such an elaborate tribute, and, well, see above with the “years-long wait.” Turns out rich, detailed hand-drawn animation is hard and expensive! We’ll see just how it paid off on Friday.
The SNES Classic, Friday ($80, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and most likely eBay)
We don’t usually mention platforms on here, but the SNES Classic is an exception. While its collection of games isn’t quite complete, Nintendo has packed a lot of ’90s nostalgia into that little hand-portable box, not to mention finally releasing an SNES game it’s kept tucked in the vaults for decades. Nintendo is promising it won’t get caught flat-footed by demand this time, but we’ll see. Either way, expect this to dominate your Friday gaming.
FIFA 18, Friday ($60, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Xbox 360, PS3, and PC)
EA’s best selling game that Americans won’t call football no matter how much people on the internet whine about it or call that other football “handegg” is back. Hunter, your hero from the story mode from last season, is back and still being paid absurd amounts of money to apply his foot to spheres, but there’s also loads and loads of modes, whether you want to manage a team, play a season, or just finally settle that bar bet over what would happen if the two worst teams went up against each other.
Lightfield, Today ($20, PS4 and Xbox One)
Lightfield is a different take on the futuristic racer. Instead of a distinct track, you have a collection of elements and your job is to figure out the fastest route across them by hopping over gaps, rotating your ship, sticking to walls, and exploring. It’s an unusual, and smart, twist on a genre that sees a lot of insistent orthodoxy.
Ruiner, Today ($20, PS4, Xbox One, and PC)
Finally, there’s this isometric cyberpunk action game, where you wake up with a Daft Punk-esque mask, a kidnapped brother, and a lot of guns to make your feelings on these topics clear to any sucker who gets in your way. It’s got plenty of action as you dash around the field and deploy shotguns, flamethrowers, and lead pipes to bring the pain, but it’s the aesthetic that’ll catch the most attention.
Any games we missed? Let us know in the comments!