The best video games to play in April 2022 - from Lego Star Wars to Nintendo Switch Sports and MLB The Show 22

April 2022 is a rather quiet month for new games.

Sure, there’ll no doubt be some surprise indie hits along the way, and maybe even some surprise drops from the big hitters - perhaps a new Wordle variation will come along? - but by and large, April looks like a good month to tackle your looming backlog.

That being said, there are a handful of titles to keep your eyes on, especially for fans of sporting pursuits and multiplayer games...

Here are the best looking games to play this month.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? Those not familiar with the Lego games might dismiss them as a bizarre cash-in, a desperate attempt to milk more money from two big names in popular culture.

That couldn’t be further from the truth, and in the absence of a ‘proper’ video game tie-in exploring all nine films of the current Star Wars saga, this might actually be the definitive gaming experience from the galaxy far, far away.

Recent Lego games especially have been crafted with the kind of love and attention that could only come from genuine fans of the source material, and the Skywalker Saga looks to be no different.

A brand new game built from the ground up (six films were previously explored in 2007’s Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, but this is more than just a remake), The Skywalker Saga retains the series’ core gameplay mechanics while bringing in some exciting new additions.

You’ll still be engaging in platforming, light puzzle solving and combat, but levels now take place in much expansive locations, and entire planets are available to explore in a much more open-ended game.

With over 300 playable characters from across the Star Wars universe, and locations, movie moments and ships all recreated in virtual Lego form, the game will no doubt be bursting with charm.

When can I play it? 5 April

MLB The Show 22

Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? Very much to baseball what the FIFA series is to football, MLB The Show returns for its second year since breaking free of its PlayStation shackles in 2021.

The franchise has been around long before that, but it was only in 2021 that it jumped to other platforms having previously been a PlayStation exclusive.

That entry was one of The Show’s best, a definitive baseball sim with all the licensed real-world players, teams and stadiums you’d expect.

With deep gameplay customisation options allowing everyone from newcomers to seasoned Major League Baseball veterans to enjoy the game, The Show 22 arrives just in time for Opening Day.

Those on Xbox consoles have the added bonus of the game coming to Game Pass on day of release at no extra cost to your monthly subscription.

When can I play it? 5 April

Nintendo Switch Sports

Nintendo Switch

What is it? Like Lego Star Wars, Nintendo Switch Sports is perhaps another game that could easily be dismissed at first glance.

And yes, while its graphics are cartoonish and its gameplay simple compared to other, more focused sports games, Nintendo Switch Sports could find itself with a very prominent position in your video gaming library.

It’s very much a 2022 update of Wii Sports - the game which came bundled with every Nintendo Wii console and showed off the machine’s revolutionary motion controls with a number of activities controlled by players making real-world movements.

Tennis, Bowling, and Swordplay make their return from Wii Sports, while the game also introduced three new activities in the form of Football, Volleyball and Badminton.

Motion controls may have since lost their novelty, but with gameplay that anybody can jump into, Nintendo Switch Sports is likely to incite just as many competitive family game nights.

Whether you’re smashing grandma at beach volleyball or decimating your little brother with some tricky backspin in the game’s bowling mode, Nintendo Switch Sports looks almost guaranteed to be a good time.

When can I play it? 29 April

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