Microsoft has built a unique ecosystem where its biggest offering is not just triple-A games, but titles included in a subscription service known as Xbox Game Pass. However, not everyone who owns an Xbox Series X is going to want to be part of this system and would rather continue to purchase games to keep forever.
It's because of this that it's worth going over the games that are available to purchase, especially for those who are looking to play titles at a cheap price. And just because a game is offered on the Xbox Store for $5 or less does not mean it isn't worth trying out.
Updated October 7, 2023, by Chris Birsner: With massive games hitting Xbox Game Pass on a frequent basis, there may be no need to look into purchasing games straight up. After all, every single major title from Xbox Game Studios are released directly on the subscription platform along with a handful of third party and indie titles as well. However, it's nice to have some games that don't require a subscription to play. For those looking for cheap options, there are many Xbox Series X/S titles that are available on the Xbox Store that cost $5 or less. These games range from classic titles from the past, to modern day hits.
16 Don't Touch This Button!
Some puzzle games are built to be these complex tests that are meant to keep the player sitting around thinking for a while. However, sometimes a more simplistic puzzle approach can be just as rewarding yet difficult.
In Don't Touch this Button!, players awaken in a room with a computer that presents some instructions to determine which button to press in front of them. The problem is that this A.I. Is not necessarily trustworthy, so players will need to determine the circumstance they are in and figure out what button will progress them closer to escaping this button-pushing hell.
15 Who's Your Daddy?
There are some solid party games that are worth picking up, but some are sillier than others. One of the more ridiculous five-dollar Xbox games that players can pick up is a round-based game called Who's Your Daddy? The premise is simple: one person plays the dad while another one or more players take on the role of a baby.
The goal for the children in each round is to find a way to get themselves killed, either by digesting things they shouldn't or putting themselves in grave danger. The father, meanwhile, must chase the child down and make sure they stay alive for a specific period of time. While games take place in one setting, items in the house are randomized for each round.
14 Arcade Game Series: PAC-MAN
It's always nice to fire up a classic video game on a newer console. The Arcade Game Series offers a handful of games that bring people back to the days of playing on cabinets in the local arcade. So given that aesthetic, why not put the classic PAC-MAN on the Xbox?
The goal of each level is to collect the various pellets that are scattered throughout the maze. However, ghosts will attempt to stop Pac-Man from completing this mission. Luckily, by eating a bigger pellet, Pac-Man can chase after the ghosts and consume them so they have to go back to safety. PAC-MAN originally came out in 1980.
13 Plants vs Zombies
Plants vs. Zombies
There are classic arcade games, then there are classic mobile games. And in the years since gaming has been brought to the mobile phone, few releases have reached the popularity of Plants vs Zombies.
10 Mobile Games That Were A Hit Ten Years Ago (& Still Hold Up Today)
Whether or not mobile games should be taken seriously is debatable, but these particular mobile titles are still undeniably awesome ten years later.
Luckily, players can also experience the game on their Xbox Series X. In an attempt to protect their home from the incoming zombie apocalypse, players must place down different plants across multiple rows to try to hold off the hordes of undead. Players will need to keep upgrading their plants if they want to stay alive and get to future levels of Plants vs Zombies.
12 Injustice: Gods Among Us
Injustice: Gods Among Us
- Released
- April 16, 2013
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
NetherRealm is known for developing another all-time fighting game, but one of its underrated hits was a DC Comics fighter called Injustice: Gods Among Us. Today, the game is available to be played on the Xbox Series X through backward compatibility. It's also among the best Xbox games under $5.
The game is a typical 2D fighting game that is presented with 3D graphics. Players have an abundance of different characters to choose from the DC Universe, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Joker. In addition to the regular gameplay, there is also an entire single-player campaign in Injustice: Gods Among Us that players can take part in.
11 Phantasy Star 2
Those who are a fan of the modern Phantasy Star games know that the series has shifted into being one of Sega's premier online action RPG franchises. However, the start of the series was much different as these were single-player, turn-based RPGs. One of the biggest entries in the franchise's history was Phantasy Star 2.
The sequel takes place about a thousand years after the events of the first game. Players take on the role of Rolf as he and his friends attempt to figure out why the Mother Brain, an A.I. Designed to protect their planet, has begun to malfunction.
10 Skate 3
Skate 3
For those who enjoy a good sports title but want one for cheap, it may be worth going back and playing an older triple-A title like Skate 3. While not the most critically-acclaimed skateboarding game in the franchise's history, it has a lot of what makes Skate so fun.
The setting for this game is Port Carverton, a fictional town where skateboarding is a pastime. The game is an open world that is separated only into three districts. The game also was the first game in the series to add an Easy mode for individuals who wanted better control of their player and a Hardcore mode for people who wanted to take their skills to the next level.
9 Islanders
City builders always take up a lot of time and may seem a bit on the complicated side when it comes to building a proper society. However, Islanders is a game that is built for anyone, and it's also an easy purchase for those with an Xbox Series X.
Islanders dubs itself a "minimalist city builder" where players are given a set of buildings in their inventory that they must figure out the best way to place them. Creating the perfect placement will earn the player points and will keep their session going until they run out of pieces to use or places to put them.
8 Townscaper
Speaking of city builders that don't put a ton of pressure on the player, sometimes it's nice to unwind with a game that just lets players build without much thought and plenty of imagination. That's what makes Townscaper such a great value among the $5 Xbox games.
Described as more of a tool than a game, Townscaper allows players to take a variety of different set pieces provided to them and build a town that they would want to live in. Houses, waterways, roads, and so much more is provided to the player to experiment with and there is no set goal that the player must achieve. There's also plenty of customization for the pieces themselves.
7 Peggle
Peggle
The same people behind Plants vs Zombies (PopCap Games) were also responsible for the forgotten puzzle game Peggle. The game is derivative of a pachinko machine, and the goal is to shoot at pegs that are marked to be shot at.
The player will only be armed with a limited amount of balls to be able to do this. If they successfully clear all the pegs, the player moves on to the next round. When the game came to consoles, a "Peg Party" mode was added that pitted four players against each other, with each person playing their own Peggle game.