As we near the end of the year and the holidays are quickly approaching, people are spending the remainder of their vacation days, kids are out of school, and college students are coming back home to see friends and family. It is also a great time to meet up and reconnect with those faces you may not have seen in a while, or just time to unwind and relax. Either way, games are a great way to spend newfound time off, and luckily, 2025 saw the release of some wonderful titles that can appeal to whatever sort of gaming relaxation you are looking for.

Whether you’re looking for a game to boot up at a party or something to put on and escape into as a blizzard rages outside, here are 10 games that are great to check out this holiday.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Nothing screams holidays quite like getting together again with your friends or family and screaming at them for stealing your stars in a Mario Party game. The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 saw the updated rerelease of Super Mario Party Jamboree along with it. This new title in the beloved digital board game series is packed with over 110 minigames and a roster of 22 characters, so there are more options for people to settle for after the no.1 character, Yoshi, is picked.

Read our review of Super Mario Party Jamboree here

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

2) Call of Duty Black Ops 7

When work is slowing down for the holidays, friends are home from school, and it’s time to relax and let off some steam, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is here for you. Whether you want to squad up with that same group you’ve been playing with since the old days or mowing down some zombies with your cousins or siblings, few games can offer quite the same cathartic gunplay as a new CoD game. And if you instead want to just check out a wild story, then hop into campaign mode, where you can play as Milo Ventimiglia, the actor behind Peter Petrelli from the mid-2000s superhero drama on NBC, Heroes.

Read our review of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 here

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

With the cold weather settling in and snow coming down, sometimes it can be nice to settle in for a nice, long comfort RPG, and the new Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake is perfect for those cold nights indoors. Following up on last year’s Dragon Quest III Remake, DQ I&II are impressive and expansive retellings of the original games that came out nearly 40 years ago. With classic turn-based combat and a run time that can easily last 70+ hours, Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D pairs perfectly with a soft blanket and a mug of hot chocolate.

Read our review of DQ I&II HD-2D Remake here

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Few games this year have garnered quite as much discussion and fervor as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. If, for some reason, you haven’t had a chance yet to play it, this holiday if you have some time off work or school, do yourself a favor and play this game. From its complex world, captivating characters, and an enthralling soundtrack, if you have friends or family who also play games, play this game; it will give you all plenty of things to talk about.

Read our review of Expedition 33 here.

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds

I’ve never quite understood the idea of Sonic the Hedgehog driving a car when he could run faster than one, but when a game is as fun as Sonic Racing: Crossworld is, those thoughts flow out of my head. Crossworlds is the best classic cart racer this year with exciting tracks, neat vehicle transformations, and a ton of characters -now from worlds and properties outside of Sonic! Gather around your screen for some local split-screen shananigans or play online with 12 players at once for a truly chaotix time.

Read our review of Sonic Racing: Crossworlds here

Split Fiction

If you are looking for more of a cooperative jaunt, one of the best this year is Split Fiction, from Hazelight Studios, the same team behind the also fantastic It Takes Two. Split Fiction is a split-screen adventure where you and another person will work together through a variety of tricky challenges covering all sorts of game genres all under the umbrella of a wonderful tale of friendship. As an added bonus, only one person needs to own a copy of the game as you can invite another player to play with you online using the free Friend’s Pass.

Read our review of Split Fiction here.

Ball X Pit

There is something to be said about a game where you can play on the couch, losing hours to it, and Ball X Pit is a game that fits that bill. This clever twist on the classic brick-breaking formula is a rougelike indie game where you unlock new adventurers and descend into a pit to defeat menacing monsters by bouncing a wide variety of special spherical projectiles at them. In addition to being able to upgrade and fuse these powerful weapons, you will also unlock new characters to pick from, a small village-building system, and more as you break the walls of the encroaching enemies. Ball X Pit is a master at giving you that “one more run” itch.

Read our review of Ball X Pit here

Blue Prince

If you are more in the mood to keep your mind sharp over vacation, then step inside the ever-shifting rooms of Blue Prince. In this mind-bending game that mixes puzzles with a clever mystery you need to solve, you will need to count your steps and solve puzzles in the various rooms of the mysterious manor in an effort to discover Room 46. Every time you step inside, your route will be different, with each door leading to a new place with new challenges to solve. Blue Prince is one of 2025’s best brain-busting titles and a great way to spend your downtime this holiday.

Read our review of Blue Prince here

Peak

Would you trust your best friends to help you climb a mountain? What about your family? Well, wonder no longer, as, thanks to indie developer Team Peak, you will now be able to do just that (in a safe, non-real-world scenario) with Peak. This cooperative climbing adventure puts you and your friends in a predicament that requires you to scale a tall mountain in order to survive. With cute visuals, proximity chat, climbing items to help you, and more, all helped push Peak to the top of Steam charts this year, and it is a great time to check out while on break this holiday.

Check out a bit of the history behind Peak here

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Whether it’s Ultimate, Brawl, Melee, or any of the other variations, I have never attended a gathering that Super Smash Bros. hasn’t improved. The chaos of 8-man multiplayer, the tense edge-of-your-seat sudden death matches, and the exultation of come-from-behind wins help keep Smash Brothers from ever getting old. While the world anxiously waits for the word of a Switch 2 Smash, the old versions are just as fun to revisit, so grab some controllers and prepare to fight!

Read our review of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate here

 As we near the end of the year and the holidays are quickly approaching, people are spending the remainder of their vacation days, kids are out of school, and college students are coming back home to see friends and family. It is also a great time to meet up and reconnect with those faces you may not have seen in a while, or just time to unwind and relax. Either way, games are a great way to spend newfound time off, and luckily, 2025 saw the release of some wonderful titles that can appeal to whatever sort of gaming relaxation you are looking for.Whether you’re looking for a game to boot up at a party or something to put on and escape into as a blizzard rages outside, here are 10 games that are great to check out this holiday. Super Mario Party Jamboree Nothing screams holidays quite like getting together again with your friends or family and screaming at them for stealing your stars in a Mario Party game. The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 saw the updated rerelease of Super Mario Party Jamboree along with it. This new title in the beloved digital board game series is packed with over 110 minigames and a roster of 22 characters, so there are more options for people to settle for after the no.1 character, Yoshi, is picked.Read our review of Super Mario Party Jamboree here Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 2) Call of Duty Black Ops 7When work is slowing down for the holidays, friends are home from school, and it’s time to relax and let off some steam, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is here for you. Whether you want to squad up with that same group you’ve been playing with since the old days or mowing down some zombies with your cousins or siblings, few games can offer quite the same cathartic gunplay as a new CoD game. And if you instead want to just check out a wild story, then hop into campaign mode, where you can play as Milo Ventimiglia, the actor behind Peter Petrelli from the mid-2000s superhero drama on NBC, Heroes.Read our review of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 here Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake With the cold weather settling in and snow coming down, sometimes it can be nice to settle in for a nice, long comfort RPG, and the new Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake is perfect for those cold nights indoors. Following up on last year’s Dragon Quest III Remake, DQ I&II are impressive and expansive retellings of the original games that came out nearly 40 years ago. With classic turn-based combat and a run time that can easily last 70+ hours, Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D pairs perfectly with a soft blanket and a mug of hot chocolate.Read our review of DQ I&II HD-2D Remake here Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Few games this year have garnered quite as much discussion and fervor as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. If, for some reason, you haven’t had a chance yet to play it, this holiday if you have some time off work or school, do yourself a favor and play this game. From its complex world, captivating characters, and an enthralling soundtrack, if you have friends or family who also play games, play this game; it will give you all plenty of things to talk about.Read our review of Expedition 33 here. Sonic Racing: Crossworlds I’ve never quite understood the idea of Sonic the Hedgehog driving a car when he could run faster than one, but when a game is as fun as Sonic Racing: Crossworld is, those thoughts flow out of my head. Crossworlds is the best classic cart racer this year with exciting tracks, neat vehicle transformations, and a ton of characters -now from worlds and properties outside of Sonic! Gather around your screen for some local split-screen shananigans or play online with 12 players at once for a truly chaotix time.Read our review of Sonic Racing: Crossworlds here Split Fiction If you are looking for more of a cooperative jaunt, one of the best this year is Split Fiction, from Hazelight Studios, the same team behind the also fantastic It Takes Two. Split Fiction is a split-screen adventure where you and another person will work together through a variety of tricky challenges covering all sorts of game genres all under the umbrella of a wonderful tale of friendship. As an added bonus, only one person needs to own a copy of the game as you can invite another player to play with you online using the free Friend’s Pass.Read our review of Split Fiction here. Ball X Pit There is something to be said about a game where you can play on the couch, losing hours to it, and Ball X Pit is a game that fits that bill. This clever twist on the classic brick-breaking formula is a rougelike indie game where you unlock new adventurers and descend into a pit to defeat menacing monsters by bouncing a wide variety of special spherical projectiles at them. In addition to being able to upgrade and fuse these powerful weapons, you will also unlock new characters to pick from, a small village-building system, and more as you break the walls of the encroaching enemies. Ball X Pit is a master at giving you that “one more run” itch.Read our review of Ball X Pit here Blue Prince If you are more in the mood to keep your mind sharp over vacation, then step inside the ever-shifting rooms of Blue Prince. In this mind-bending game that mixes puzzles with a clever mystery you need to solve, you will need to count your steps and solve puzzles in the various rooms of the mysterious manor in an effort to discover Room 46. Every time you step inside, your route will be different, with each door leading to a new place with new challenges to solve. Blue Prince is one of 2025’s best brain-busting titles and a great way to spend your downtime this holiday.Read our review of Blue Prince here PeakWould you trust your best friends to help you climb a mountain? What about your family? Well, wonder no longer, as, thanks to indie developer Team Peak, you will now be able to do just that (in a safe, non-real-world scenario) with Peak. This cooperative climbing adventure puts you and your friends in a predicament that requires you to scale a tall mountain in order to survive. With cute visuals, proximity chat, climbing items to help you, and more, all helped push Peak to the top of Steam charts this year, and it is a great time to check out while on break this holiday.Check out a bit of the history behind Peak here Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Whether it’s Ultimate, Brawl, Melee, or any of the other variations, I have never attended a gathering that Super Smash Bros. hasn’t improved. The chaos of 8-man multiplayer, the tense edge-of-your-seat sudden death matches, and the exultation of come-from-behind wins help keep Smash Brothers from ever getting old. While the world anxiously waits for the word of a Switch 2 Smash, the old versions are just as fun to revisit, so grab some controllers and prepare to fight!Read our review of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate here  Read MoreGameSpot – All Content