If you spent any time during your youth hanging around arcades, you’ll want to give it a try while it’s on Game Pass. Developed by Nosebleed Interactive, it’s a unique simulation game that balances 90s nostalgia with a thoughtful look at the line between hobby and work. That would be Arcade Paradise, a quiet 2022 standout that’s now available on Xbox Game Pass today. There’s one lesser-known game, though, that was a go-to I kept coming back to throughout the year despite the fact that it wasn’t talked about nearly as much as any of those games. Splatoon 3 and Vampire Survivors ate up my entire summer, while I still think about Pentiment and Immortality months later. Naturally, I spent countless hours adventuring through the Lands Between in Elden Ring. When I think back to 2022, there are a ton of critically acclaimed games that stick with me.
