What’s New in Video Games: January 2019

Friday, December 21st, 2018 10:59 am

Kingdom Hearts 3 starts the new year off in a big way.

If January is anything to go by, 2019 is going to be an exciting year for video games for fans both young and old. January will see the release of the highly anticipated Kingdom Hearts 3, along with some updated Mario games your family may have missed when they were first released.

Kingdom Hearts 3
Rated E10+
Appropriate for: Kids who are comfortable with fast-paced gameplay

The latest installment in this popular role-playing game series stars a young boy named Sora, who teams up with Donald Duck and Goofy to defeat creatures known as the Heartless, who have invaded a variety of Disney and Pixar worlds. In Kingdom Hearts 3, players will interact with returning characters like Hercules and Jack Sparrow, as well as meet new (but familiar) faces, including Rapunzel from Tangled, Elsa, Anna, and Olaf from Frozen, and Woody and the gang from Toy Story. The Kingdom Hearts games have accessible gameplay for newcomers, but the overall storyline is quite complicated, so younger players may need help understanding what’s going on.

Great if your kids love: Final Fantasy XV, Disney/Pixar movies

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Rated E
Appropriate for: Kids who are comfortable with console controllers

This Switch game combines two Wii U titles into one package: New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U. Both games are side-scrolling platformers, which means they’ll challenge players to make their way from one end of a stage to the other by jumping on platforms, avoiding obstacles, and defeating or avoiding enemies. Players can choose from multiple playable characters, with Toadette being a new addition to both games. Both Toadette and Nabbit (a character who was originally only playable in New Super Luigi U) are designed for younger or less-experienced players, and will offer users assistance while playing. Both of these games are great whether playing on your own, or with family and friends in the same room.

Great if your kids love: Super Mario Odyssey, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy


Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr’s Journey
Rated E
Appropriate for: Kids who are comfortable playing on smaller screens

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story was originally released on Nintendo DS in 2009. The role-playing game has a unique setup that splits gameplay into two storylines, which players can switch between when they need. In one, Bowser, the bad guy from the Super Mario franchise, must stop his castle from being taken over by a villain. In the other, Mario and Luigi have been shrunk down to the size of microbes and find themselves within Bowser’s body, where they’ll need to complete challenges. Being inside Bowser’s body gives the brothers the ability to control Bowser and help him overcome obstacles in the other story. This remake for 3DS includes updated graphics and gameplay, as well as a new side story that follows Bowser Jr.’s quest to form an army and cause chaos.

Great if your kids love: Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, World of Final Fantasy, Octopath Traveler


Resident Evil 2
Rated M
Inappropriate for young teens and children

Resident Evil 2 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is a remake of the original Resident Evil 2, which was released on the PlayStation in North America in 1998. The survival horror game has two playable heroes, Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, who must find a way to survive the dangerous world of Raccoon City during the zombie apocalypse. Resident Evil 2 is an incredibly violent, graphic game, and is in no way appropriate for kids. It’s rated M for Mature by the ESRB, with content descriptors for “Blood and Gore,” “Intense Violence,” and “Strong Language.”

Try These Games Instead: Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2, Minecraft


Full List

Notable kid- and teen-friendly titles are in bold.

Tuesday January 1, 2019

Xenon Valkyrie+, Switch

Thursday January 3, 2019

Don’t Sink, Switch

The Aquatic Adventures of the Last Human, Switch

JCB Pioneer: Mars, Switch

Dreamwalker, Switch

Catastronauts, Switch

Pic-a-Pix Pieces, Switch

Job the Leprechaun, Switch

Friday January 4, 2019

Fitness Boxing, Switch

Mad Age & This Guy, Switch

99Seconds, Switch

Monday January 7, 2019

Absolver, Xbox One

Tuesday January 8, 2019

LEGO DC Super-Villains – Aquaman Movie Part 2 [DLC], Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Megalith, PlayStation VR

Pic-a-Pix Pieces, PlayStation 4, Vita

Thursday January 10, 2019

Double Cross, Switch, PC

Sega Ages: Out Run, Switch

Neko Navy – Daydream Edition, Switch

Elli, Switch

HoPiKo, Switch

Bury me, my Love, Switch, PC

Inside My Radio, Switch

Ethan: Meteor Hunter, Switch

Lightseekers, Switch

Overdriven Reloaded, Switch

Aftercharge, Xbox One, PC

Catherine Classic, PC

Wednesday January 11, 2019

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Switch

Stellar Interface, Switch

Hive Jump, Switch, Xbox One

Void Vikings, Xbox One

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey, 3DS

Tuesday January 15, 2019

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series – The Final Season Episode 3: Broken Toys, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Onimusha: Warlords, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Vane, PlayStation 4

Smoke and Sacrifice, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

The Grand Tour Game, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Wednesday January 16, 2019

Planet RIX-13, Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One

Thursday January 17, 2019

YIIK: A Postmodern RPG, Switch, PlayStation 4, PC

Gunman Clive HD Collection, Switch

#KILLALLZOMBIES, Switch

Feudal Alloy, Switch, PC

Hell Warders, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Friday January 18, 2019

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, Switch

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, PlayStation 4 [VR Compatible], Xbox One

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet Expansion Pack – Dissonance of the Nexus [DLC], PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet – Complete Edition, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Alvastia Chronicles, Xbox One, PC

Guacamelee! 2, Xbox One

Farm Together, Xbox One

Tuesday January 22, 2019

At Sundown, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

FutureGrind, Switch, PlayStation 4, PC

Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal, PlayStation 4, PC

Realm Royale, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Heroes Trials, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita

A Fisherman’s Tale, PlayStation VR, PC

Wednesday January 23, 2019

The Walking Vegetables: Radical Edition, Xbox One

Heroes Trials, Xbox One

Thursday January 24, 2019

SMITE, Switch

Life is Strange 2 – Episode 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Friday January 25, 2019

Heroes Trials, Switch

Swords & Soldiers, Switch

Resident Evil 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Steamroll, Xbox One

Tuesday January 29, 2019

Genesis Alpha One, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Kingdom Hearts: All-in-One Package, PlayStation 4

Kingdom Hearts 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

DayD: Through Time, Xbox One

Thursday January 31, 2019

Dragon Marked for Death, Switch

Bombfest, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Brandy Berthelson
Editor-in-Chief

Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.

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