Best Indie Games on Xbox Game Pass Right Now (March 2026)
Xbox Game Pass just added Hollow Knight: Silksong, Planet of Lana II, and more. Here are the best indie games you can play on Game Pass right now.
March 2026 is one of the strongest months Game Pass has ever had for indie fans. Hollow Knight: Silksong just expanded to Premium. Planet of Lana II launched day one on the service. Keita Takahashi’s new game landed the same week. And that’s before you even touch the existing catalog.
Here are the 10 best indie games on Xbox Game Pass right now, mixing fresh additions with essential catalog picks you might have missed.
New This Month
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Metroidvania | Team Cherry | Now on Game Pass Premium
The biggest indie game of the decade is now available across all Game Pass tiers. Hollow Knight: Silksong originally launched on Game Pass Ultimate in September 2025 and has been expanding its availability ever since. As of March 12, Premium members can finally download it too.
You play as Hornet, exploring a vast interconnected kingdom filled with over 150 new enemies, tight platforming, and some of the best boss fights in any game. Silksong sold over seven million copies and holds a 90 on Metacritic. If you have Game Pass and haven’t played this yet, fix that immediately. Read our full Hollow Knight: Silksong review for the complete breakdown.
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf
Puzzle platformer | Wishfully Studios | Day 1 on Game Pass (March 5)
The sequel to one of the most visually striking indie games ever made. Planet of Lana II continues the wordless story of Lana and her companion Mui across new hand-painted environments that look like animated concept art. The puzzle platforming is tighter this time around, with more variety in how you use Mui’s abilities.
It holds an 83 on Metacritic. Critics praised the art direction and emotional storytelling while noting it doesn’t reinvent the formula. If you loved the first game or enjoy cinematic platformers like Limbo and Inside, this is worth your evening.
Read our Planet of Lana 2 preview for everything we knew before launch.
to a T
Adventure | uvula (Keita Takahashi) | Day 1 on Game Pass (March 4)
From the creator of Katamari Damacy comes something entirely different. to a T follows a teenager stuck in a permanent T-pose as they navigate life in a small town with their dog. Each episode plays out like a TV show, complete with an intro song and credits.
Reviews are mixed. The charm is undeniable and the humor is distinctly Takahashi, but some critics found the gameplay shallow and repetitive. It is the kind of game that either clicks with you completely or bounces off. At no extra cost on Game Pass, it is worth trying for yourself.
Towerborne
Co-op brawler | Stoic Studio | Launched February 26
Stoic Studio, the team behind The Banner Saga trilogy, left early access with a completely reworked Towerborne on February 26. The original plan was a free-to-play live service game. After community feedback, they scrapped that model and relaunched as a premium buy-once experience with no microtransactions.
The result is a 4-player co-op brawler with a full story campaign, procedural dungeons, and gorgeous hand-drawn art. Runs take 15 to 30 minutes, making it perfect for quick sessions. It is available on Game Pass Ultimate and Premium.
Read our Towerborne launch coverage for the full story.
Essential Indie Games Already on Game Pass
These have been on the service for a while, but if you haven’t played them yet, they are among the best games on the entire platform.
Hades
Roguelike | Supergiant Games | $24.99 (free on Game Pass)
The game that made roguelikes mainstream. Hades puts you in the role of Zagreus, son of the god of the dead, fighting through the Underworld to reach the surface. Each run takes 20 to 40 minutes. The combat is fast and fluid. The story progresses with every death.
Hades won Game of the Year at the DICE Awards, BAFTA Games Awards, and The Game Awards. It has a 93 on Metacritic. If you play one roguelike in your life, make it this one.
Celeste
Platformer | Maddy Makes Games | $19.99 (free on Game Pass)
One of the tightest platformers ever made. Celeste tells the story of Madeline climbing a mountain, with each screen presenting a precise platforming challenge. The difficulty is demanding but always fair. Assist Mode options make it accessible to everyone.
Beyond the gameplay, Celeste tells a genuinely moving story about anxiety and self-acceptance. It holds an 88 on Metacritic and is widely considered one of the best indie games of all time.
Stardew Valley
Farming sim | ConcernedApe | $14.99 (free on Game Pass)
Stardew Valley needs no introduction. Eric Barone’s one-person farming RPG has sold tens of millions of copies and continues to receive free updates years after launch. Farm, fish, mine, befriend townsfolk, and lose hundreds of hours. The 1.6 update added new content, festivals, and quality-of-life improvements.
If you haven’t tried it, Game Pass removes every barrier. If you have tried it, you know you’ll go back eventually.
Hollow Knight
Metroidvania | Team Cherry | $14.99 (free on Game Pass)
Before Silksong, there was the original. Hollow Knight drops you into the ruined kingdom of Hallownest with no map, no direction, and dozens of hours of exploration ahead. The combat is tight, the world design is masterful, and the bosses are legendary. It holds an 87 on Metacritic with over 470,000 Steam reviews.
Play this before Silksong if you haven’t. Or replay it. Hallownest rewards return visits.
Vampire Survivors
Bullet heaven | poncle | $4.99 (free on Game Pass)
The game that launched an entire subgenre. Vampire Survivors gives you one job: survive waves of monsters for 30 minutes. You pick upgrades between waves, build absurd weapon combinations, and watch the screen fill with chaos. A full run takes exactly 30 minutes.
It costs less than a coffee, and you can play it for free on Game Pass. There is no excuse not to try it.
Into the Breach
Tactical strategy | Subset Games | $14.99 (free on Game Pass)
From the creators of FTL comes a mech-based tactics game where you can see every enemy move before it happens. Into the Breach is chess with giant robots. Each mission fits on an 8x8 grid. Turns take minutes, but the decisions stay with you for hours.
The Advanced Edition update added new squads, weapons, and missions. If you like tactical games, this is one of the best ever made. It holds a 90 on Metacritic.
Leaving Soon: Enter the Gungeon
A heads up: Enter the Gungeon is leaving Game Pass this month. If you have been meaning to try this bullet-hell roguelike, download it now before it disappears from the catalog.
Keep This List Bookmarked
We will update this list each month as new indie games join and leave Game Pass. For more recommendations, check out our best indie games on Steam Deck in 2026, best co-op indie games on Steam, or our best cozy indie games list.
Last updated: March 12, 2026.
Written by
Florian HuetiOS dev by day, indie game dev by night. Trying to give life to GameDō Studio.
Building games and talking about the ones I can't stop playing.
