Looking for something to play? Here are the best games of 2026 so far

As we reach the halfway mark of 2026, we've been delighted to discover a scintillating variety of video games already this year, with something for everyone to enjoy.

There is plenty of nostalgia in a couple of the games that our critics have picked for our mid-year collection, but lots of new experiences as well.

We're keen to hear what you think too! You can vote on your favourite game below, and we've added a few extras into the mix as well, so be sure to scroll right down to the end to get your vote in.

Players control the transforming Pokémon Ditto as they rebuild the ruined world in game, and create habitats for other Pokémon. (Supplied: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company)

Occasionally a game comes out and everyone you know is playing it. It happened during the height of the COVID pandemic-era lockdowns with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and in early March this year everyone was building habitats and restoring environments as a plucky human shaped Ditto.

The mainstream Pokémon games have stayed basically unchanged in format since their release in the late 90s, but it's in the spin-off titles set within the same world where the games can get a little weirder and a little bit more creative. Pokopia is a game about restoration, it's about building connection and community and it's a microcosm of our own increasingly disconnected world. There aren't any trainers, no major battles, no fighting at all; it's a human-free world of Pokémon who find themselves alone in a scarred environment desperate for some care.

Piece by piece, literally, you rebuild and reshape each of the major environments in the game, and you can choose to build something brand new or restore what came before. I have played every single major Pokémon game and even I'll admit I've almost seen it all, but Pokopia really delighted me with just how different it was.

As Pokémon turns 30, a video game inspired by insect-collecting continues to shape how scientists think and teach about bugs today.

There is still Pokémon collecting, but in this game you build specific habitats to attract back to the world all your favourites. Each are your equal and equally perplexed about exactly what is going on. If you're an long-term fan you'll discover plenty of references to both past games and the animated television show, but younger players without this grounding will still enjoy the creature collecting and creative building.

It's very easy to lose a lot of time in this game as you collect the resources to build your next great idea, either alone or with Pokémon assistants. There is one shared