Netflix unveiled the lineup of games it plans to bring to its game catalog over the course of May. The ones that stand out the most are Sega’s excellent Sonic Mania Plus and Askiisoft’s violently satisfying action game Katana Zero.
Sonic Mania Plus is the definitive 2D Sonic game. Made by fan-game makers turned game developers, Sonic Mania Plus is equal parts a throwback to Sonic’s Genesis games and a clever platformer for the modern day. It has been available on PC and consoles for years, but Netflix is finally giving players an official way to play it natively on mobile. Sonic Mania Plus is available through Netflix starting today, May 7.
I’d also highly recommend Katana Zero, which is set to come to Netflix at an undisclosed date sometime this month. This is a visceral 16-bit action game with a mind-bending story and grisly combat. It has a lot in common with games like Hotline Miami, as it’s all about learning the layout of a level and finding the most effective ways to clear a room of enemies without getting hit. It’s a personal indie game favorite of mine, so I’m elated to see it come to mobile.
Three other games are also slated to come to Netflix’s game catalog this May. Braid: Anniversary Edition, a remaster of an influential indie game from the 2000s, comes to mobile with an exclusive level on May 14. Meanwhile, Paper Trail is a new puzzle game that launches May 21. Finally, Netflix Stories: Virgin River is a dress-up and romance game based on the TV show of the same name; it will come out May 29.
You can get access to all five games with your Netflix subscription at no additional charge.
