The weekend is upon us, and if you're anything like me, you're eyeing your backlog like it's a buffet. However, new releases have been dropping faster than a health bar in a Soulslike, and picking the right game then becomes tricky.

If you need something fresh to fire up, or just need help deciding what to boot up while the white noise from the TV or the phone plays in the background, here are the best games to sink into this weekend.

4 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Consider it preparation for the next Ninja Gaiden

With Ninja Gaiden Ragebound less than a week away from release, you could opt to play something like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, which is pretty much the definitive way to play the classic game. However, that experience won't particularly translate to Ragebound, since the latter is a slick action platformer. As such, why not treat yourself to a weekend of playing Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, instead? I myself got it at a pretty great price in the Steam Summer Sale 2025.

With plenty of hacking and slashing, and fantastic-looking bosses to take down as you platform through a beautifully-realized 2.5D world, there is certainly a lot in common between The Lost Crown and Ninja Gaiden Ragebound. Thematically, the two games couldn't be further apart, but the gameplay's pace and visual appeal is something that would directly translate to Ragebound. So strap in and get ready for The Game Kitchen's next in the fabled series, by playing another entry in a different legendary franchise.

3 WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers

Just play the PS5 version for any actual enjoyment

Yes, I know that the Soulslike genre is pretty over-saturated at this point. In fact, I could even go a year or two without any new Soulslike games and not bat an eye. Still, credit where due, WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is a fantastic game that has come out of China, with this game being developer Leenzee's very first.

In terms of gameplay and narrative, it's very Soulslike, with the majority of the storytelling done through conversations with NPCs and environmental cues. For the most part, Fallen Feathers is an impressive new title, and its skill tree system left XDA writer James Carr particularly impressed in his review.

WUCHANG's haunting aesthetic and creature design are exceptional, however, and those alone are two huge reasons to play the game. If you do plan on playing it, however, just make sure that it's the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X version. The PC version of Wuchang has opened to 'Mostly Negative' reviews on Steam, despite having over 100,000 concurrent players, owing to terrible optimization and performance issues plaguing the PC port.

2 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4

Why not just put your own Spotify library on?

A faithful reimagining of Pro Skater 3 and 4 from 2001 and 2002, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 came out earlier this month. If you're looking to shut off your brain and steer away from narrative-heavy titles, Pro Skater 3 + 4 could very well be your best bet.

It successfully remakes the original levels, much like the fantastic remake of Pro Skater 1 + 2, and delivers just as much enjoyment as it did two decades ago when we were all toddlers and teenagers. Plus, it's on Game Pass, which is always a Swiss flag.

Sure, the soundtrack isn't the same, but when a game's OST being missing is the biggest and perhaps the only complaint people have about it, you can rest assured that the gameplay experience itself is nothing short of fantastic.

The controls feel just as smooth as you remember them, the levels are recreated to near-perfection, and there's even a split-screen mode if you want to throw down with a friend. This is the kind of game you pick up after a long day just to zone out, chill, and pretend you're still rocking a PSP in 2005.

1 Donkey Kong Bananza

The launch title the Switch 2 deserved

After Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza has now entered the conversation for Game of the Year, and rightly so. A fantastic 3D platformer that really should've been the launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, Donkey Kong Bananza is full of charm that harkens back to the ape's N64 glory days.

Bananza is also XDA-approved, with fellow gaming writer Jakejames Lugo giving it a glowing 9/10. If you've got a Switch 2, then Donkey Kong Bananza is most certainly the game to play this weekend. If not, however, you can always play another console-exclusive 3D platformer that is equally charming and enjoyable, and actually won Game of the Year — Astro Bot.

If you do own a Switch 2, however, this is certainly the game to play if you want to make your friends jealous. It's colorful, packed with variety, and overflowing with personality and charm. Donkey Kong Bananza brings back the kind of silly, expressive platforming that feels hand-crafted, rather than a run-of-the-mill, factory-churned title. This franchise hasn't felt this alive or fun in decades, and I'm all for it.

It's terribly tough to decide what to play

It's a good time to be a gamer, but a terribly difficult time to figure out what you actually want to play. Between new releases, surprise ports, long-awaited sequels, and surprise sleeper hits, the options can frankly become overwhelming.

Still, the weekend is now in full swing, and any minute spent not gaming is a minute wasted. So fire up your preferred console, and get gaming.