Summer is a tough time to be a video game fan, and not just because of all the social pressure to get off the couch and out of doors.
After the glut of high-profile releases during fall and winter, the flood of anticipated games dwindles to a lazy trickle when the weather gets hot. For gamers, the onset of vacation season typically means months of twiddling their thumbs waiting for the next AAA release.
But the summer slump is also a time when game publishers are more willing to take chances. There are a few promising titles set to hit stores in the coming months that stand out from the pack simply by being standalone products instead of numbered entries in established franchises — although there are plenty of those coming out this summer, too.
Here are eight titles worth holding on to controllers for this summer.
Mario Kart 8‘MARIO KART 8’
Release date: Today.