8 free Xbox games you can download and play this weekend

Easter weekend is almost upon us and it’s the perfect time to lose yourself in some games, whether you have extra time off work, or just want to play and stuff your face with chocolate. Maybe you want a great game for the kids to play, or something to keep you going in the evening.

If you’re looking for something new to play, why not take a look at the latest games that Xbox Game Pass has to offer? There are hundreds of great titles to download and play for free, and we’ve got a great, hand-picked selection for you.

Control is a mind-bending action game that will keep you on the edge of your seat

If you’re in the mood for some frights this weekend, you can’t do better than this double bill. First up we’ve got The Quarry, an action-horror game where every choice you make has consequences for the cast. Will your favourite character survive the ordeal? Or will your mistakes see them perish? If you want more of an action challenge, then you have to play Resident Evil 3 for plenty of zombies and monsters. Try not to squeal as you battles hordes of undead or creep through empty streets while being chased by a hulking beast intent on smashing your brains in.

In order to keep the kids occupied, you have to download SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated for them. Who doesn’t love SpongeBob? This 3D platformer will have them, and you, trying to save the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. Keep the kids away for this one, as Maneater is full of blood and guts. You play as a shark on a rampage against humans and other aquatic life. It’s bonkers and all the more fun for it.

If the weekend means sports for you, then why not try your hand at some baseball? This brand-new title to Xbox Game Pass will put you on the pitcher's mound for some of America’s favourite pastimes in MLB The Show 24. Sports aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay because our next recommendation is for one of the best action games of the last few years and one that will have your brain fizzing with possibilities. Control is from the same team that recently brought us the sequel to Alan Wake.

Lastly, we’ve got a one-two punch of anime adventure. Both RPGs, both gorgeous to look at. It’s all about teenage drama and what goes bump in the night for a group of students in Persona 3 Reload. Or you could watch kingdoms war with each other while playing through another well-loved franchise in Tales of Arise, which features a brilliantly deep story of loyalty and love.