It’s set to be another huge month of new video game releases with March 2024 offering up an impressive slate. Over the next few weeks, here are the new titles landing on PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and PC.
This month starts with the latest installment in a pair of popular annualized sports franchises, but if sports aren’t your thing, the second half of March offers up a glut of games with picks that should appeal to just about every type of gamer. These include PS5 exclusive samurai game Rise of the Rōnin, as well as Princess Peach starring in her very own Switch game. Plus, there’s the long-awaited Dragon’s Dogma 2, South Park: Snow Day and a critically acclaimed PC game finally hitting consoles.
The first two months of the year offered up several unmissable new games, and March is set to continue that trend. So, let’s jump into the biggest games launching over the next 30 days.
WWE 2K24 (March 8)
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
The latest entry in the WWE 2K franchise steps into the ring this month. And as the 40th annual WrestleMania is just around the corner, it’s no surprise that WWE 2K24 is going big on the world’s grandest wrestling showcase with an entire mode dedicated to the event.
Naturally, the WrestleMania XL arena is included in the game, but WWE 2K24 is also set to be a celebration of classic WrestleMania moments from the last four decades. The 2K Showcase of the Immortals mode will allow you to recreate iconic moments that defined some of the biggest WWE superstars. Playable match-ups will include the legendary bout between André the Giant and Hulk Hogan in 1988 and The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels.
WWE 2K24 isn’t just about WrestleMania, it’ll also pack new match types (including Casket, Gauntlet and Ambulance matches), two distinct MyRise career modes, Unleashed and Undisputed, and upgrades to the popular MyFaction and MyGM modes. WWE 2K24 is set to be the ultimate simulator for wrestling fans with an impressive roster of current and former icons.
MLB The Show 24 (March 19)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Another annual sports release, MLB The Show offers the most realistic and authentic recreations of baseball on any platform, and MLB The Show 24 will once again upgrade its virtual take on America’s favorite pastime.
MLB The Show 24 makes great improvements to the on-field gameplay experience with roughly 400 new animations adding a greater degree of realism to the way players react in key moments. Plus, a collection of new first base throws and pitcher movements have been included to further enhance player control over the entire diamond. The Show 24 should be the most lifelike digital version of baseball the long-running franchise has ever offered.
It’s not just the core gameplay that’s been tightened up in MLB The Show 24, either. The popular Diamond Dynasty mode has also been upgraded with community feedback taken on board to polish the online mode even further.
Dedicated baseball fans have likely already got their pre-order locked in as the MLB The Show franchise has built a very passionate community. But this 2024 entry in the annual series could also make a great jumping-in point for newcomers to baseball.
Princess Peach: Showtime! (March 22)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
It’s been almost two decades since Princess Peach took center stage in her own game (2005’s Super Princess Peach on the Nintendo DS was her last solo adventure), but that’s set to change this month as Princess Peach: Showtime! arrives exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
The family-friend adventure game opens with the Mushroom Kingdom monarch attending a performance at the Sparkle Theater. But when the venue is invaded by nefarious forces, it’s up to Princess Peach, and the theater’s guardian, Stella, to team up and save the day.
Princess Peach: Showtime! leans heavily into its theater-inspired setup, as each level is set on a literal stage complete with cardboard backdrops, props and stage-lighting. Rather than platform across each level, as Mario would, Peach instead gains new abilities by donning different costumes. These includes a swordfighter outfit, detective garb, Kung Fu gear and lots more.
Princess Peach is often sidelined in Mario games and used as motivation for the plumber to chase after the sinister Bowser, so it’s wonderful to see this new Switch game shine the spotlight on Nintendo’s leading lady and allow her to be the focus.
Rise of the Rōnin (March 22)
Platforms: PS5
Developed by Team Ninja and launching exclusively on PS5, Rise of the Rōnin is an epic action RPG that blends multiple influences including Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. While early previews initially pegged it as a Soulslike, it offers three difficulty settings so you can find the perfect level of challenge for your taste.
Set in an open-world recreation of 19th-century Japan, Rise of the Rōnin is aiming to provide a rich cinematic tale that focuses on the Boshin War, also referred to as the Japanese Civil War. It’s a complicated conflict but makes for a fascinating backdrop, and the game’s narrative will reportedly incorporate player choice at key moments allowing to you shape the story.
The map sounds pretty big with several historical cities to explore including Yokohama and Kyoto, as well as the surrounding countryside. And getting around should be a blast as you’ll have access to a grappling hook and a glider. Team Ninja also has a knack for creating satisfying combat systems, and Rise of the Rōnin looks like no exception. It packs a dynamic combat system that gives players access to sharp swords alongside powerful firearms.
If the sprawling open-world and blockbuster campaign wasn’t enough, Rise of the Rōnin will also include a four-player online co-op mode. This is shaping up to be a very meaty game.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 (March 22)
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Released in 2012, the original Dragon’s Dogma was a bit of a cult classic. Often described as “Skyrim meets Dark Souls” it offers a large fantasy world to explore and challenging battles against monstrous foes. It also included the unique “Pawn” mechanic that allowed you to customize your own companions and then share them with the world for extra XP.
A full sequel has been a long time coming, and after more than a decade of waiting, Dragon’s Dogma 2 arrives this month. Its core concept is roughly the same as its predecessor; you once are let loose in a gigantic map stuffed with colossal monsters to slay, with a small band of customizable Pawns at your side. Yet this sequel aims to sand down some of the first game’s rough edges and offer a more engaging main narrative to boot.
One of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s key systems is called “Vocations”. These are essentially character classes and include RPG staples like Thief and Mage as well as more unique options, like Trickster and Mystic Spearhand. Mastering your selected vocation is key to victory against the world’s most dangerous foes, and each will offer a different play style.
South Park: Snow Day! (March 26)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
South Park: Snow Day is not a sequel to the well-received RPGs The Stick of Truth and The Fractured but Whole. Rather, it's new co-op game that will appeal to fans of the crude cartoon.
After a massive blizzard hits the town of South Park, school is canceled, so Cartman, Stan, Kyle, Kenny and pals engage in a massive fantasy role-play session to pass the time. What that means in gameplay terms is a 3D action-brawler that incorporates loads of enemies and epic bosses. As the new kids, you can team up with up to three friends online, and deploy a range of melee-based and range weapons alongside special abilities and power-ups.
Unlike the aforementioned South Park RPGs that offered a narrative-focused experience, South Park: Snow Day looks to be more about chaotic gameplay. But the show’s distinct comedic tone is very much present, and there will be plenty of winkling references as well.
Planet Zoo: Console Edition (March 26)
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S
From the makers of the often-overlooked Planet Coaster, comes Planet Zoo, a management simulation that lets you construct your own wildlife park, and then challenges you to find the right balance between keeping guests happy and earning enough money to grow your collection of exotic animals.
Planet Zoo launched on PC back in 2019, and now after five years of patches, improvements and post-launch expansions, it’s finally landing on consoles with reworked menus and UIs designed specifically for a controller. From day one, Planet Zoo: Console Edition will offer a sizeable set of animals, ranging from fearsome predators to more docile creatures. And it’ll be your job to construct habitats that meet their individual needs.
You can play Planet Zoo how you want in four distinct modes. Career mode offers a set of tailor-made scenarios to complete, while Franchise mode lets you build a dynasty of interconnected parks. Sandbox mode removes all restrictions and lets you create with total freedom, while Challenge mode tasks you with building a well-functioning park on a budget.
