Nintendo Games Dominate Metacritic’s 2025 Rankings
In a surprising turn of events, Nintendo’s remastered titles have outshone a highly-praised new release on Metacritic. This unexpected twist has shaken up the gaming world, sparking debate about what constitutes the “best” games of the year.
The Unexpected Contenders
Initially, many considered “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” to be the frontrunner for the best game of 2025. It had garnered significant acclaim, boasting an impressive average score of 93%. Metacritic, which compiles scores from various sources, recently updated its “Best Games of 2025” list. Astonishingly, “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” now hold higher ratings.
A Closer Look at the Rankings
This situation is unusual because “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” has over 80 reviews on the website. Meanwhile, the updated Nintendo games on the Metacritic database have only a total of 18 reviews. This difference raises questions about the impact of review volume on overall rankings.
The “The Legend of Zelda” titles, benefiting from refreshed ratings, may now dominate. The critical question remains: should these refreshed versions of the games truly be considered the year’s best?
The current state of game ratings and reviews is constantly evolving. With sites like Metacritic influencing so much, it is important to note how these things change. The user scores and official reviews have a big influence on what gamers play.
“Exact multi-sentence quotation….”
—Speaker Name, Title
Recent data from the Entertainment Software Association indicates that the gaming industry generated over $60 billion in revenue in 2023 (ESA Report 2023).
The Details
At the start of June, the new Nintendo platform launched. The company’s two games now have the highest ratings of 2025, according to Metacritic. The news has stirred intense discussion among gamers and critics.
This unexpected twist highlights the dynamic nature of the gaming industry and the significance of review aggregation in shaping public opinion and influencing the success of game titles.
