The 20 Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2025
"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" (Nintendo)
Which Switch games impressed professional reviewers the most during the past year? This page contains Metacritic's official list of the 20 best-reviewed titles released for either Nintendo Switch 2 or the original Nintendo Switch between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 ranked by Metascore. Games must have at least 7 scored reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion.
If a game appears on both Switch platforms, only the version receiving the higher quantity of critic reviews was eligible.
#20: Deltarune
1 / 20
Technically still a game very much in progress, with another chapter expected in 2026 and likely one or two more to follow at a later date, pixel-art indie RPG Deltarune is Toby Fox's sequel to his 2015 hit Undertale (note the anagram) that's set in a parallel universe. Consisting of a (human) teenager, a prince, and a monster, your party of three explores various Dark Worlds, with gameplay blending exploration, puzzle solving, and a combination of turn-based and bullet-hell style combat (unless you attempt to get through each chapter as a pacifist). Critics lauded the game's heart, plentiful humor, wild creativity, attention to detail, and incredible soundtrack (composed by Fox) when Deltarune received its first paid, official release (which included two previously released chapters and new third and fourth chapters) in June.
"Speeding through Deltarune — a stunningly imaginative role-playing adventure — to a quick ending is not the point. It's meant to be enjoyed gradually, a trip along startling roads less traveled with your virtual friends." —The New York Times
#19: Shotgun Cop Man
2 / 20
Boasting a striking, minimalist look, the comedic precision platformer Shotgun Cop Man comes from the indie developer behind 2019's My Friend Pedro. You play as the title character, whose mission is to arrest Satan. To do so, you'll need to navigate over 150 levels of hell and use your arsenal to counter countless angry demons. Critics think it's a short burst of challenging, arcade-style fun.
"Shotgun Cop Man is an absolute blast, thanks to its exquisite locomotion, varied stages and a nice amount of difficulty for those seeking a challenge." —Loot Level Chill
#18: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
3 / 20
A casual "slow-life" JRPG set in an open island world (and a sequel to the 2012 3DS game Fantasy Life), Fantasy Life i allows you to switch at will between 14 different jobs that allow you take on a variety of tasks. You can craft, cook, explore, swim, fish, climb, ride, fight monsters, crawl dungeons, and more, while the game also incorporates town-building and decorating elements—and even time travel as you toggle between two different time periods a millennium apart in an attempt to unravel the island's mysteries. The result has been compared to a cozy blend of Animal Crossing and Zelda.
"Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a must-buy for cozy game fans. With complete freedom to explore professions, nearly endless content, and a (smooth but limited) 4-player online mode, it's a cozy sandbox I adore—now if only someone would expand this vision into a true MMO." —Universo Nintendo
#17: Heretic + Hexen
4 / 20
A pair of spell-casting first-person shooters built on the original Doom engine and first released for PC in 1994 and 1995, respectively, Heretic and Hexen were ported to Switch and other modern consoles in 2025. The package includes the full Shadow of the Serpent Riders version of Heretic and the 1996 Deathkings of the Dark Citadel expansion to Hexen, and also adds a brand-new campaign to each game. Though the visuals have not been upgraded, there are some modern touches including online cross-platform multiplayer for up to 16 players and some quality of life improvements.
"Heretic + Hexen is yet another slam dunk for Nightdive Studios. This new release revamps both titles with modern controls, bonus content, and thoughtful changes to the core design that make each game a delight to play. Granted, these are still FPS titles from the mid-'90s, so your mileage will definitely vary, but for returning fans and those with a particular fondness for old-school 'boomer shooters', you really can't go wrong." —Nintendo Life
#16: Mario Kart World
5 / 20
The flagship launch title for Nintendo's Switch 2 console had big shoes to fill: It's not just the latest installment in a beloved racing/party-game franchise dating back to 1992, but it follows perhaps the most successful release in the entire series. Good news: It's not a disaster. (Far from it!) World is just as fun and addictive as prior games, and is bigger all around, with impressive new tracks, a ton of vehicles and characters to choose from, and support for up to 24-player races. (Also bigger: That $80 pricetag!) The only thing holding it back from an even higher Metascore is a halfhearted attempt at introducing an open world into its gameplay.
"Mario Kart World is pure fun: thrilling races, a relaxing open world, innovative mechanics, and impeccable multiplayer—though it's slightly disappointing that local matches with more than three players drop to 30fps. Nintendo has perfectly balanced the classic and the new, crafting a complete, addictive, and accessible experience that'll delight both veterans and newcomers to the series." —Nintenduo
#15: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
6 / 20
Originally released for the Wii U a decade ago as a spinoff from the sci-fi/fantasy Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy, the open-world action/RPG game Xenoblade Chronicles X finds you among a small group of survivors of a colony ship crash on the planet of Mira, where you'll eventually need to pilot a mech suit to fend off the planet's hostile alien fauna. Featuring single-player gameplay as well as online multiplayer, the game arrived on the Switch for the first time in 2025 as an expanded remaster that not only features improved visuals but also adds new story content and gameplay improvements while also incorporating all previously released character DLC.
"Xenoblade Chronicles X isn't a game for everyone. It doesn't have the kind of guided story a lot of RPGs do, and its dense systems can be a lot to digest. But it's a game with a wholly unique vision, and only gets better the more time you put into it. It's hard to think of a bigger high note the Nintendo Switch could be going out on." —Inverse
A remaster of the 1997 PlayStation turn-based tactical RPG Final Fantasy Tactics, The Ivalice Chronicles features both the original version of the game and an enhanced version with new (but faithfully isometric) graphics, full voice acting, a new lower-difficulty mode for newcomers, and improvements to gameplay and battle mechanics. Critics think it a terrific remake of a terrific game, so there's never been a better time to dive into the War of the Lions. And Ivalice just collected the award for Best Sim/Strategy Game at The Game Awards.
"Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is the best iteration of Final Fantasy Tactics yet. Its phenomenally creative job system, engaging gameplay, and gripping storytelling make it top of the list for anyone wanting a good strategic RPG. Best yet, it perfectly encapsulates what TRPGs should be, even with its handful of quirks." —Digital Chumps
#13: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
8 / 20
A pixelated, side-scrolling hack-and-slash platformer developed by the studio behind Blasphemous, Ragebound is meant to echo (but also modernize) the gameplay style of the original Ninja Gaiden trilogy released on the NES from 1988-90. You'll have to guide your aspiring ninja Kenji Mozu and the assassin Kumori as they attempt to fend off an attack on their village by demons. Critics think it's a relatively slight burst of challenging retro fun.
"It looks beautiful, it's got the right amount of challenge in it, and it plays smoothly. What more could you ask from Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound? As a standalone title, or to tied over until the next main game comes along, you'll certainly have a flipping good time." —Finger Guns
#12: Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2
9 / 20
This two-game compilation marks the first appearances of two of the Wii's very best games on the Switch. Originally released in 2007 and 2010, the two wildly creative 3D platformers received massive acclaim when they first arrived, ranking them among the best video games of all time. On the Switch and Switch 2, they feature greatly enhanced resolution (up to 4K on the newer console) as well as interface improvements and a new "Assist Mode" to help you through the more challenging levels. Despite the nicer visuals, this port actually scored 10 points lower than the original releases, as some reviewers took issue with the way the game's original motion controls were mapped to the Switch controls and other critics felt that the graphical overhaul didn't go far enough.
"Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 feels less like a simple rerelease and something closer to a remaster, especially when played on Switch 2. While not as polished and fully featured as they could be for the price tag, these are still phenomenal games and absolutely worth blasting off in again and again." —GamingTrend
#11: Street Fighter 6
10 / 20
Also available in a more deluxe edition that includes two years of DLC, Street Fighter 6 is a Switch 2 port of a title first released in 2023 for other consoles. Far, far better than the previous numbered installment in Capcom's venerable fighting series, Street Fighter 6 offers three different game modes which provide a combination of single-player and online (and cross-platform) multiplayer gameplay, and combined provide plenty of content for newcomers and veterans alike. Other new features include real-time commentary.
"Capcom's decision to delay Street Fighter 6 to the Nintendo Switch 2 should be celebrated, as they succeeded in packing a big punch despite the Switch 2's small package. It runs like a dream and lacks the graphical compromises that many Switch owners may be accustomed to seeing from AAA games. If you've been patiently waiting for a next-gen fighting title to take on the go, Street Fighter 6 is the breakout fighting game for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch." —Digital Chumps
#10: Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
11 / 20
It's not a Metroidvania; it's a ... Yoyovania. The top-down 2D adventure from Brazilian indie studio Pocket Trap has you exploring a town inhabited by rival crime bosses and a variety of critters. Gameplay—clearly influenced by The Legend of Zelda among others, but featuring a unique yo-yo mechanic that lets you use the toy in a variety of imaginative ways—blends platforming, exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving. Critics find the result clever, charming, and retro.
"Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a masterclass in retro Zelda-like game design, expertly fusing classic mechanics with creative new ideas to make for a thoroughly memorable and worthwhile experience. Occasional difficulty spikes aside, we'd highly recommend you pick up Pipistrello at the next available opportunity, especially if you're a Zelda fan who prefers the top-down design of games such as The Minish Cap." —Nintendo Life
#9: Split Fiction
12 / 20
The latest title from Swedish studio Hazelight is, like It Takes Two and A Way Out before it, a two-player co-op action game. And while those two games were well-reviewed, Split Fiction is even better. You and a partner play as writers Mio and Zoe—the former a sci-fi specialist while the latter writes fantasy—as each becomes trapped inside their stories by a machine hoping to steal their ideas. (The machine is not named ChatGPT—just making that clear.) You'll have to work together to overcome challenges in an impressive variety of settings as the action plays out in split screen. That variety—and the overwhelming creativity, ingenuity, and playfulness on display—make Split Fiction an easy recommendation by critics.
"Split Fiction isn't just a great co-op game. It's a story about creativity, friendship, and grief. On Nintendo Switch 2, you could say you get the perfect experience, mainly because the console offers just what you need: good performance, social features, compatibility and flexible gameplay." —Nintenderos
#8: BALL x PIT
13 / 20
A bullet-hell shooter that incorporates base building and roguelite elements, BALL x PIT asks you to shoot a stream of magic balls at what appears to be a ceaseless swarm of barbaric monsters emerging from a bottomless pit. Simple enough—think Arkanoid or Breakout at triple speed—but what complicates matters and adds to the game's replayability is a randomized selection of differently powered balls (from over 60 in total), with some combinations forming useful synergies. And you'll also have a chance to expand your base of operations with dozens of new buildings that unlock further abilities and new characters in what amounts to a mini city-building mode. Critics are having a ball with the unique mix of genres.
"Ball x Pit is a tremendous brew of so many ideas it ought to collapse under the confusion. However, it operates in such perfect balance that it appeals both to the one-more-go instinct and to more cerebral planning and creativity." —Nintendo Life
#7: Absolum
14 / 20
This stylish indie animated side-scroller from the team behind 2020's Streets of Rage 4 blends beat-em-up action with the increasingly popular roguelike genre. You're transported to the fantasy world of Talamh, where the evil Sun King Azra has taken power. Attempt to defeat him by choosing one of four characters with varied skillsets—then attempt it again, with each randomized run offering a different layout and combination of ability upgrades. Critics loved the replayability factor added by incorporating roguelike elements.
"Thanks to a spectacular gameplay system with proven ideas and well-grounded new concepts, a perfect understanding of the genres it represents, and of course, an audiovisual presentation that's truly jaw-dropping, we can say that Absolum is one of the greatest games of 2025." —Atomix
#6: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
15 / 20
1st Chapter is a remake of the 2004 anime-style JRPG The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (which launched the Trails subseries of The Legends of Heroes franchise) using the game engine developed for 2021's Trails Through Daybreak. A 2nd Chapter will follow in late 2026. Remastered visuals, new voice acting, and improved gameplay (now including a choice between turn-based or real-time combat) combine with what was already a deep and rewarding conspiracy-driven storyline to make a 21-year-old title seem fresh—especially given that gamers outside of Japan may not have been exposed to the game prior to this year.
"Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a fantastic introduction to the series for newcomers, and a no-brainer for series veterans. This is one of the best and most reliably fun JRPG franchises on the market today, packing a fantastic narrative, a beautiful world, a rewarding battle system, and memorable characters together in one deep and sprawling package. You can't miss with this one." —Gaming Nexus
#5: Donkey Kong Bananza
16 / 20
Metacritic's Best Switch 2 Exclusive of 2025. Released for the Switch 2 a month after the console's launch, Nintendo's best all-new exclusive of 2025 is also the highest-scoring Donkey Kong game of all time. The franchise's first 3D platformer in 26 years finds the punch-loving DK teaming up with teen Pauline—who smashes with her singing voice, not her fists—to explore and destroy the varied environments of a subterranean world. Gameplay is similar to that of Super Mario Odyssey (and comes from the same in-house Nintendo development team), and critics praised Bananza's humor, charm, creativity, and approachability for gamers of all types.
"Depending on what you want to do second-to-second, DK's latest outing can be a hugely impressive do-what-you-want sandbox, a comforting collectathon platformer, a series of lightly puzzling challenges, or a goofy Nintendo world to explore and be surprised by. But taken together, it's a masterpiece that's sure to absorb newcomers and series veterans alike. The destructible terrain is a literally ground-breaking innovation that makes each player's game unique, while the story and characters reposition DK's world in a way that's endearing and exciting, but still respects his past forty years of history." —The Sydney Morning Herald
#4: Hollow Knight: Silksong
17 / 20
Team Cherry's first sequel to its excellent 2017 Metroidvania Hollow Knight is more of the same, if "the same" means stunning design and challenging gameplay. New lands and foes await returning players as they attempt to navigate their character Hornet—now able to battle with acrobatic finesse—through the insect kingdom known as Pharloom. Despite Silksong's even greater difficulty, critics liked it just as much as (and perhaps even more than) the first game, and it went on to collect six nominations at The Game Awards (winning for Best Action/Adventure Game). A free expansion, Sea of Sorrow, is due in 2026.
"Hollow Knight: Silksong takes the masterclass design of its predecessor and elevates it to set a new gold standard in Metroid-like design." —CGMagazine
Originally released for the Switch and Wii U in 2017, Breath of the Wild is considered one of the very best entries in one of gaming's very best franchises—trailing, perhaps, only Ocarina of Time. (To be fair, literally every game trails Ocarina of Time.) Nintendo brought the game (and its sequel, which we'll get to in a moment) to the new Switch 2 at the console's launch in June with a number of graphical improvements, with the game now running at 60 FPS at 1080p, as well as just better (and quicker) overall performance on the more capable hardware. The new version of the game also supports Nintendo's smartphone app Zelda Notes, which provides navigation instructions, voice memories, and a few other inessential but nice-to-have bonuses. Eight years later, Wild is still a stunner.
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will go down as one of the best launch titles of all time. Yes, technically it's a Wii U game that was ported over to the Nintendo Switch, but Nintendo made the right decision in holding this game back. It perfectly compliments the Nintendo Switch and highlights why it has the potential to be such a great and versatile console. Many have doubted Nintendo's ability to bring this series into the modern age of gaming, but they've done that and taken it one step further in creating one of the best open-world action-adventure games ever made." —Press Start Australia
#2: Hades II - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
19 / 20
Metacritic's Best NEW Switch/Switch 2 Game of 2025. A console exclusive on the Switch and Switch 2 (but also available on PC), Hades II is the first sequel to Supergiant Games' Hades, a roguelike action-RPG based on Greek mythology that was the highest-scoring Switch game of 2020 and won a pair of honors (Best Indie Game, Best Action Game) at that year's The Game Awards. The new game, which casts you as the sister of the first game's protagonist and gives her the difficult task of defeating time titan Chronos, similarly impressed reviewers (and won yet another Game Award) with its overall gameplay design, gorgeous visuals, and memorable characters, with many critics feeling that it topped its predecessor in nearly every way. Note that numerous complaints about an unfulfilling ending caused Supergiant to make tweaks to the conclusion following the game's original September release.
"Polished to perfection, Hades 2 is an absolute triumph that feels uniquely distinct from its predecessor, serving as a gracious evolution of the formula with dozens and dozens of hours worth of incredibly engaging content. An easy GOTY contender." —Gfinity
Metacritic's Best Overall Switch/Switch 2 Game of 2025.
Is there a whole lot that's new in this year's Switch 2 port of the best Nintendo game of 2023? Not a whole lot, other than enhanced—and widely lauded—visuals (with resolution and framerate bumps and HDR support), quality of life improvements like lightning-fast load times, and integration with the aforementioned Zelda Notes app. But is it the highest-scoring game available right now for Nintendo's new console? It certainly is—and it, like Breath of the Wild, is an unmissable release for gamers new to the Nintendo universe.
"The definitive version of one of Nintendo's most astounding technical and design achievements, that expands and refines the world of Breath Of The Wild in new and unexpected ways." —Metro GameCentral
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