The Windows Store has plenty of collections to browse through and if you are looking for the latest and greatest in gaming, the New and Rising collection is where you want to go. This collection of Windows 10 games is filled with relatively new releases that have spiked in popularity.
The New and Rising collection changes periodically as new titles are introduced and as others fade in popularity or age. We took a snapshot of this Windows Store collection, looking for the best of the Store has to offer.
Please keep in mind that we are focusing in on the budget-friendly offerings suitable for touch. This takes the likes of Resident Evil 7 and Astroneer (both good games) off the table. With that being said, let's take a look to see which titles made the cut as the best new and rising games for Windows 10.
Spider Solitaire Classic
Card games can be an entertaining option when you have a little down time to kill, and the Windows 10 game Spider Solitaire Classic offers a challenging puzzle-like game for your Windows 10 PC and Mobile devices.
The goal of Spider Solitaire is to shift cards from column to column to build a complete, descending order of cards (King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, etc.) of the same suit. Once a complete set of cards is built, it is removed from play, then points are awarded, and you repeat the process until all of the cards are eliminated from the table.
Graphics look good with Spider Solitaire Classic, the game controls are simple, and gameplay requires a bit of strategy, planning and the luck of the draw. Games include 1, 2 and 4 suit modes with hints available should you need a little help finding your next move. The suit modes are a nice touch with the one suit mode being a great option to practice with or for younger card players new to the world of solitaire.
Spider Solitaire is a free game, available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile. It's not an overly difficult game to learn but it provides a decent challenge to your card playing skills. Simply put, it is a fun rendition of a classic card game.
Download Spider Solitaire from the Windows Store
Lego Pull-Back Racers
Lego Pull-Back Racers is a Windows 10 racing game that takes has an endless runner twist. The game features three Lego vehicles that are propelled by pulling them back and letting them go. The cars include a drag-style racer, the 'Record Breaker,' and two monster trucks called the 'Quad Bike' and 'Extreme Off-Roader.' Steering is done by swiping left or right on the screen to switch lanes and avoid obstacles and other racers.
The race tracks are endless and filled with plenty of jumps to make, barricades to avoid and Lego pieces to collect. You race as far as your momentum takes you with speed boosters scattered around the track to help keep you on the move. Each time you hit a barricade, you lose a bit of your speed and when the power meter strikes zero, the game is over.
Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, Lego Pull-Back Racers is a free game. Graphics are full of color and detail and gameplay challenges your skills at reaction and timing nicely. Overall, Lego Pull-Back Racers is an enjoyable Windows 10 game to put your racing and endless runner skills to test.
Download Lego Pull-Back Racers from the Windows Store
Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter is a city builder style game for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One that puts you in control of a state of the art underground vault. Based on the popular Fallout gaming series, you create an underground community 2,000 feet below the surface.
Expand your vault by adding modern day rooms and resource facilities such as power plants, medical bays, radio stations, science labs, diners and more. Once you have an infrastructure established, you need to manage the vault's resources carefully to make sure you have enough water, power, and food for your dwellers.
Speaking of which, a variety of survivors will knock on your vault's door hoping to join the party. Dwellers offer a mixture of skills that complement the various rooms of the vault. Dwellers can also be dispatched above ground to explore the decimated surface to seek out adventure, discover loot and new items that can benefit the vault collective. To help give your population a boost, you can play matchmaker with your citizens to add new members to your population the old fashioned way.
Along with managing your resources and community, Fallout Shelter has plenty of post-apocalyptic dangers to protect your vault from. There are plenty of weapons and armor to discover, loot, and build that helps your dwellers fend off dangers from the outside world.
The graphics are fantastic, and while gameplay is rather involved, it isn't so overly complicated that it will drive you nuts. Fallout Shelter is a free game, available for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One. It does require an online connection to sign into your Microsoft Account, but afterward, it runs just fine off-line. Gameplay does sync between Windows 10 PC devices and the only downside to Fallout Shelter is that it gobbles up 1.4GB of memory. Still, it is a fun game and easy to see why it has landed on the New and Rising list in the Windows Store.
Download Fallout Shelter from the Windows Store
Asphalt Xtreme
Asphalt Xtreme is one of the many fantastic Windows 10 games from Gameloft, taking you to the world of off-road racing. While it ranks at the top of the new and rising list, it is arguably one of the best racing games available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile.
Asphalt Xtreme delivers over 30 off-road machines ranging from a traditional dune buggy to an off-road Semi-Truck. Each car in the garage can be personalized through a collection of customizations and fine-tuned with various performance upgrades. The game includes five game modes, over 400 career events, over 500 mastery challenges and limited time events. There's even a real-time multiplayer mode where you can compete online in an eight-player race. While this Windows 10 game supports both on-screen and tilt controls, the tilt controls make the racing experience more immersive. The visuals are top notch and further add to the outstanding gaming experience Asphalt Xtreme offers.
Using your Microsoft or Facebook account, you can synchronize game progress between Windows 10 devices. This makes it easy to transition from the Windows 10 Mobile version while on the go to your Windows 10 tablet while loafing on the couch.
Asphalt Xtreme is a free game with a few in-app purchase opportunities. It is a great way to spend a little time on the dirt track without the need to wash your car when you get back to the house.
Download Asphalt Xtreme from the Windows Store
John Strike
John Strike is a platform adventure for Windows 10 PC and Mobile that is filled with 8-bit action. As the hero, you must navigate across a series of platform levels that are full of dangers. These range from armed soldiers to spike pits to endless drops. John Strike affords you three lives per game, but there are plenty of opportunities to gather additional lives during gameplay.
The controls are a collection of movement arrows and buttons that line the bottom of the screen. Buttons tackle John Strike's jumping ability, in addition to his weapons. John Strike also has support for keyboard controls or an Xbox Gamepad.
The graphics have a nice retro feel that reminded me of the old Contra or Duke 'Nukem arcade games. The gameplay is nicely challenging, relying on your skills for timing, patience, and reaction speed. John Strike is a free, ad-supported game that is a fun option when you are in the mood for some classic platforming.
Download John Strike from the Windows Store
Disney Emoji Blitz
Disney Emoji Blitz is a light-hearted, match three game that is available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile. The game features animated emoji of popular Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Bambi, Simba and more. All in all, there are over 500 Disney and Pixar emoji characters.
Gameplay is not much different than any other match-three game in the Windows Store. You have a field of assorted Disney emoji that need to be grouped in matches of three or more. You can swap adjacent emoji to create those groups, and when you do, they are removed from play and points are awarded. To add to the challenge, Disney Emoji Blitz has a series of performance-based missions to tackle.
Coins are earned during gameplay that can be used to unlock specific Disney emoji. These emoji are used as power boosts during gameplay, each offering unique powers. For example, Sulley from the movie Monsters, Inc., roars to scare random emoji from the field.
Games only last 60 seconds and can be rather addicting. This makes Disney Emoji Blitz a good choice when you only have a few minutes to spare, but there's plenty of gameplay for longer sessions.
Download Disney Emoji Blitz from the Windows Store
Just a quick footnote, some of these titles have been available in the Windows Store for months. We do not know what defines the new in New and Rising, but those games remain listed in this collection, are fun to play and qualified for this roundup.
If you have tried any of these Windows 10 games, let us know what you think in the comments. There are plenty more quality and fun games in the New and Rising collection and if we have overlooked your favorite new Windows 10 game, feel free to toss out your recommendations in the comments as well!