March 5 is a Super Busy Day for Gamers

The games industry has gotten off to a great start this year, with early bangers like Resident Evil 9 and indie darlings like Cairn setting a high bar. And with games like Grand Theft Auto 6 and Fable around the corner, it feels like we’re just getting started.

We have some time before those flagship AAA titles drop, but that’s no problem: there are almost too many promising games dropping in the interim, which are sure to dominate the free time of countless gamers. March will certainly be a good month, what with hotly anticipated releases like Crimson Desert and Monster Hunter Stories 3 dropping in a few weeks, although the onslaught of games is actually starting a bit sooner than that. Indeed, perhaps March 5 is an auspicious date, as there’s a veritable deluge of great-looking games launching then.

Slay the Spire 2 (Early Access)

If you’ve enjoyed any major deck-builder roguelike released post-2017, there’s a fairly decent chance that it was inspired, to some extent, by Slay the Spire. The intense and unforgiving turn-based game seemingly perfected the deck-building model, making for an endlessly addicting experience that is deep enough for genre veterans while being accessible to newcomers. Its influence on roguelikes and deck-builders cannot be overstated.

Almost a decade later, its sequel is set to arrive in early access on March 5, making it available exclusively to PC players. The first Slay the Spire was released in early access in 2017, with its full, multiplatform release coming in 2019. Assuming Slay the Spire 2 follows roughly the same trajectory as its predecessor, we can expect its early access period to last about two years. Hopefully, this release strategy will result in Slay the Spire 2 being at least as polished, addictive, and alluring as the first game.

Systems

PC-1

Released: March, 2026
Developer(s): Mega Crit
Publisher(s): Mega Crit
Engine: Godot

Marathon

Here’s a game that, for better or worse, will probably be among the most significant releases of the year. As the next full, new game from Bungie, Marathon is following two mega-popular IPs in Halo and Destiny, hoping for the same level of success. Things have been bumpy for Marathon so far, though, as lukewarm previews, the oversaturation of the extraction shooter space, and even a high-profile plagiarism scandal have tainted its reputation ahead of launch.

Although it’s a radically different take on the IP in terms of gameplay, art design, and overall structure, Marathon is a reboot of a 1990s franchise of the same name, which Bungie cut its teeth on before moving on to Halo.

The Marathon server slam just wrapped up, and while impressions have been generally positive, it’s hard to say if that will be enough for the game in the long term. There have been a number of complaints about things like balance and feature richness, so here’s hoping that Marathon can address such concerns and get a foothold in the uber-competitive live-service, extraction shooter market.

Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf

March 5 will play host to another hyped-up indie, though of a much different kind than Slay the Spire 2. Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf is a sequel to 2023’s Planet of Lana, an atmospheric puzzle-platformer echoing the likes of Inside. Its sequel, Planet of Lana 2, follows an “older, more agile Lana” as she embarks on yet another adventure with her adorable companion Mui. It follows a recognizable David and Goliath archetype, with the protagonist filling the shoes of a vulnerable avatar surrounded by relatively massive threats.

Like the first game, Planet of Lana 2 is all about atmosphere, with a cinematic, orchestral soundtrack and awe-inspiring hand-drawn environments; the blend of 3D animation and painted background art is especially compelling. This art style, coupled with the lack of any real dialog and a far-future setting, makes Planet of Lana 2 feel like a true, bold adventure. If it can meaningfully build upon the platforming and puzzle systems of the first game, then Planet of Lana 2 will be quite a treat indeed.

Released: March 5, 2026
ESRB: Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence
Developer(s): Wishfully
Publisher(s): Thunderful Publishing
Engine: Unity

Pokemon Pokopia

Finally, we have one of Nintendo’s strangest-looking games in quite some time. Pokemon Pokopia is a novel blend of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, with its all-Pokemon focus, and Animal Crossing, courtesy of its robust customization and low-stakes premise. You play as a Ditto in the form of a human, who can use their shapeshifting abilities to manipulate the landscape around them. The core gameplay loop is about befriending fellow Pokemon, much like how Animal Crossing is all about bonding with your anthropomorphized neighbors. Pokemon Pokopia even has a day-night cycle tied to real-world time, like Animal Crossing.

Pokemon Pokopia is developed by Omega Force, a studio whose credits include, interestingly enough, the mainline Dynasty Warriors games.

Pokemon Pokopia’s reviews are actually already out, and they paint a pretty picture: Pokopia is now the highest-rated Pokemon game on Metacritic, and reviewers have praised it for its charm and compelling gameplay. Fresh spins on the tried-and-true Pokemon formula are always worthwhile in my book, and Pokopia seems like an excellent example of why they’re so valuable. It does mean some stiff competition for the aforementioned games launching on March 5, however.