It’s July 2025, the heat is unbearable, and my backlog’s already judging me harder than ever. But here we are again, with another lineup of games determined to make sure you don’t leave the house. Nintendo’s finally giving Donkey Kong the respect he deserves, EA’s bringing college football back from the dead, and there’s even a free-to-play mech brawler that’s way better than it has any right to be.
Here are seven video games that you won’t want to miss this July 2025!
Donkey Kong Bananza
- Release Date: July 17, 2025
- Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Donkey Kong is back, and he brought Pauline with him on a new adventure. This brand-new 3D platformer, which we’re now finding out was built by the Super Mario Odyssey team, sends our favorite ape underground, literally. It’s chaotic, it’s colorful, and it might be the Switch 2’s first real killer app.
EA Sports College Football 26
- Release Date: July 10, 2025 (early access July 7)
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S
It’s been over a decade since EA released a college football game, and now it’s finally back with 136 schools, Dynasty mode, and over 300 coaches. Plus, it has full cross-play and new-gen polish. It’s a sports fan’s dream and a great excuse to scream at your TV all over again. The only thing that stinks about this is that the game is skipping the PC, yet again.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4
- Release Date: July 11, 2025
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2
The king of skateboarding games returns with not one, but two full remasters. THPS3 and 4 have been rebuilt with modern graphics, new tricks, updated online, and a soundtrack that hits you right in the early 2000s. It’s pure nostalgia on a deck—and way easier on your knees.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
- Release Date: July 31, 2025
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2
Team Ninja passed the blade to The Game Kitchen, and somehow it works. Ragebound is a 2D side-scrolling, pixel-bleeding return to the NES-era of action that doesn’t hold your hand. It’s tough, fast, stylish, and unapologetically old-school—just how we like our ninja games. Check out our impressions of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound below.
Get it on Amazon or Best Buy or Steam
Grounded 2 (Early Access)
- Release Date: July 29, 2025
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S
Remember when Grounded turned backyard bugs into survival horror? Well, the sequel cranks it up with more biomes, mounts (rideable ants, anyone?), deeper crafting, and nastier enemies. You’re still tiny, everything still wants to kill you, and yes—the spiders are still terrifying.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
- Release Date: July 24, 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
If you’re craving a Soulslike with a new flavor, this is it. Wuchang dives into Eastern mythology with moody visuals, slick swordplay, and some horrifying boss designs. It’s one of the sleeper hits this summer, and it’s dropping day one on Game Pass. No excuses. Check out our impressions of WuChang: Fallen Feathers here.
Get it on Amazon or Best Buy or Steam
Mecha Break
- Release Date: July 1, 2025
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S
You like Gundams? Titanfall? Want to dash across a battlefield in a hyper-agile mech and blast fools out of the sky? Mecha Break is a free-to-play PvP brawler that lets you do just that. Team-based chaos, wild customization, and smooth movement—it’s way better than you’d expect for “free.” It’s a fantastic replacement for what we lost when Bandai Namco shut down Gundam Evolution.
Final Thoughts
Look, I can’t stop you from spending July in your air-conditioned cave doing nothing productive. But if you are going to ignore your responsibilities, at least do it with Donkey Kong, Ninja Gaiden, or while piloting a 30-ton mech that looks like something out of Zone of the Enders. July 2025 is surprisingly stacked, so make peace with your wallet now.
