Microsoft has added eight classic Xbox games to Game Pass Essential on Nov. 15, including the Banjo-Kazooie trilogy, Gears of War: Judgment and Halo: Spartan Assault.
Xbox Game Pass Essential received eight classic games Sunday as Microsoft marked the 25th anniversary of Xbox. The additions are primarily titles from the Xbox 360 era, and the new catalog is available to subscribers of the entry-level Game Pass plan.
The lineup includes all three games in the Banjo-Kazooie series: Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. The first two are platforming games centered on the bear Banjo and the bird Kazooie, while Nuts & Bolts adds vehicle construction to its challenges.
- Banjo-Kazooie
- Banjo-Tooie
- Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
- Gears of War: Judgment
- Halo: Spartan Assault
Gears of War: Judgment is also part of the additions. The prequel follows Damon Baird and Kilo Squad after Emergence Day, as the group responds to the destruction affecting the world of Sera. The game expands the Gears of War catalog with a story set before the original game’s events.
The new selection also includes Halo: Spartan Assault, a top-down shooter set between Halo 3 and Halo 4. The game focuses on a Spartan campaign rather than the first-person format used by the mainline entries in the series.
Other games named in the lineup include Perfect Dark and Viva Piñata. Viva Piñata recently reached its 20th anniversary, adding another milestone connection to the anniversary collection. The Game Pass additions cover several Xbox properties rather than a single franchise or genre.
Access across Game Pass tiers
Subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass Premium already had access to these games before they were added to Essential. Sunday’s change extends access to members of the Essential tier for the first time, according to the service information accompanying the anniversary additions.
The games join Game Pass Essential as Xbox celebrates the service’s broader platform history. The collection includes platforming, action, shooter and simulation titles, with the Banjo-Kazooie games, Gears of War: Judgment, Halo: Spartan Assault, Perfect Dark and Viva Piñata among the named entries.
