There were a lot of games that came out this year — by one measure, possibly the most ever in a single year. So which ones did Gaming Age staff like the most?
23. Silent Hill f
Seems like a lot of people either bounced off or don’t understand you need to beat it multiple times for a full story like NieR: Automata. Gripping story with excellent atmosphere. (BC)
22. Terminator 2D: No Fate
A tie-in for a movie that came out more than 30 years ago? It sounds crazy, but when it feels like this game could’ve easily come out back when Terminator 2 came out and no one would’ve batted an eye. Better yet, it also feels like the game perfectly captures the essence of what made side-scrolling shooters so much fun. (PB)
21. Hades II
If you Supergiant Games couldn’t possibly outdo themselves after the first game, then you owe it to yourself to check out Hades II. It’s an absolutely fantastic follow-up to the original and one that shouldn’t be missed. (DC)
20. Split/Fiction
Another high quality, astonishingly feature-rich release from Hazelight studios’ series of couch co-op games that you play in split screen even when remote. Split/Fiction is the studio at its best, with extremely high quality level designs and fluid animation that all come together to create a co-op experience that is hard to rival. While all of their games have had this level of detail and care taken to the world and general experience, Split/Fiction hit a high note for me just given the setting. A mashup fantasy/sci-fi experience, jumping through both in a dozen different settings each, but still managing a cohesion that brings it all together. (AC)
19. Cronos: The New Dawn
Cronos: The New Dawn feels like a proper spiritual successor to Dead Space in many ways, but the narrative and environment stand tall on their own to create a truly memorable experience in survival horror. (BR)
18. Pippistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
Brazilian Studio Pocket Trap managed to combine an exagerated contemporary setting found in games like Earthbound and mash it with the gameplay found in the Legend of Zelda franchise (although the devs would probably compare themselves to a metroidvania/search action titles). The game manages to do social commentary without being overbearing and gives players plenty of challenging scenarios to test their mettle. (SY)
17. Arc Raiders
Somehow making an extraction shooter that attracts and retains casual players is no small feat, yet somehow Embark managed to do exactly that. Thoroughly polished and beautiful, ARC Raiders creates an atmosphere and experience that even those who religiously extraction shooters can find something to enjoy here. Somehow, they’ve made the single game in the genre that has a community that maybe won’t shoot you immediately and might even join you by your side. (AC)
16. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Ever wish the Ninja Gaiden series went back to its roots? So did Dotemu, and they turned that wish into a game that feels like one of its classic predecessors. (PB)
15. Doom: The Dark Ages
Another awesome entry in the modern Doom era, Doom: The Dark Ages is an absolute blast to play through, with impressive visuals, an appropriately metal soundtrack, and some really wild set-pieces that deserve to be seen. (DC)
14. Abiotic Factor
An indie survival game not many people took attention to, but a fantastic game set in a Half-Life/SCP-inspired world full of excellent lore and story. (BC)
13. Hell is Us
Hell is Us is a remarkable entry in the action-adventure genre and one that 2025 needed. (BR)
12. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
RGG seemingly does not know how to make a bad game, and always somehow manage to release title after title packed to the gills with a mixture of gritty hard hitting stories and humor in such a way that is routinely the best I could’ve hoped it could be. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii seems like it should be the most ridiculous it could be, but even here, the serious parts of the story hit just as well as they ever have. (AC)
11. Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2
Was the Mario Galaxy Collection a barebones port that included one game that had already been re-released for the Switch? Yes. Does that matter? Not when we’re talking about two of the greatest 3D platformers that have ever been released. Even if these two games don’t add anything new beyond improved visuals and somewhat better controls, both Mario Galaxy games here have stood the test of time. (MP)
10. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Any other year, would probably stand out as the best kart racer of the year. This year, though, it had the misfortune of coming out just months after Mario Kart World. But the world is certainly big enough to have two exceptional kart racers come out in one year, and even if Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is behind the Switch 2 launch title, it’s not back by much. (PB)
9. Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Dotemu and Tribute Games managed one up their work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge with a romp in the Marvel Universe. The title gave brawlers more variety than just your standard balanced/speed/brusier pastiches and the tag system allowed you to mix things up so you can pivot if your player choice isn’t optimal for the combat scenario. (SY)
8. Kirby Air Riders
Is Kirby Air Riders a racing game? A spiritual successor to Super Smash Bros? However you want to define it, it’s a lot of fun. (MP)
7. Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 managed to revive the community fervor of the Battlefield series that had long since died off. A titan that was sorely missed during it’s down days, Battlefield’s resurgence in 2025 is strong and represents a kick off point that shows that the series is indeed still capable of making an impact in the FPS sphere. While the campaign was lacking, the work on the multiplayer shows that the development team was all-in on ensuring that Battlefield is back. (AC)
6. Ghost of Yōtei
A second entry to the series, Ghost of Yōtei manages to still have the same level of high quality that the original Ghost of Tsushima game held, while also ensuring that it is viewed as it’s own thing. At no point in the story does Atsu feel like a replacement for Jin, but is instead her entirely own person with her own motivation and an entirely different lens to view the setting through. The struggles of life as a girl growing up on a ranch in the middle of nowhere to woman avenging her family, all with no formal training gives a scope to view the story through that isn’t often represented in media. (AC)
5. Blue Prince
Another slower title on the list, What appealled to me about Blue Prince was just what could happen in each run, Will I nab all the rooms I need to further my quest to reach the Room 46, or will I discover a little bit more information regarding this history of the manor that I set to inherit? The highs of opening doors in the Antechamber, the lows of not having enough steps to cross the threshold of said door. It just kept forcing me to say in my mind “One more run!” (SY)
4. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Ninja fans were treated to not one but three titles featuring ninjas who made their mark in the 8-bit era, and while I only managed to play the 2D games which came out, I have to give the edge to Joe Musashi. Art of Vengeance edged out Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound visually, but it ran away with the prize on the combat system. The diversity of moves mean combat was an act of expression and sometimes I would just throw myself into the fray to see what would happen next. Hopefully this 2D outing will have SEGA consider a 3D outing for the head of the Oboro clan. (SY)
3. Mario Kart World
There’s a lot of pressure that comes with being the launch title for a new Nintendo console, but Mario Kart World was up to the challenge. Sure, the open-world bit may have been a bit of a letdown for some, but between the absolutely packed Grand Prix mode and the nail-biting tension of the Knockout Tour, Mario Kart World has more than enough content to keep you occupied for months on end. Add in the biggest slate of racers the series has ever known, and it’s easy to see why someone could fall in love with this game. (MP)
2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
This game blew me away. The quality of writing in Expedition 33 was high enough to be a singular counter to point to when someone says video games cannot land as impactful of a story as movies are capable of. The most impressive thing managed within is that they do such a good job of subverting expectations and you can never guess what’s going to happen before it arrives. Expedition 33 is a landmark in all my gaming experiences, insofar as it even managed to get me to not only complete, but enjoy a turn-based combat game; a style that I have always struggled with. (AC)
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
Back when the first Switch launched, Super Mario Odyssey got a ton of praise but it was overshadowed by Breath of the Wild. It feels like the folks at Nintendo’s EPD studio took that personally, because with Donkey Kong Bananza they gave the Switch 2 a launch window game that outclasses every other game on the system…and, arguably, every other game that came out this year. There are few things more fun than smashing everything in sight, and Bananza found a way to to turn that into an incredible game and a great reason to pick up a Switch 2. (MP)
Honourable Mentions: Anger Foot, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Clutchtime Basketball Deckbuilder, Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Dying Light: The Beast, Ender Magnolia, Expelled!, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic, Gradius Origins, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Madden NFL 26, Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection, Mullet Madjack, Peak, Poppy Playtime: Chapter 4, Rematch, Skin Deep, Turbo Kid, Umamusume, While Waiting, WWE 2K25
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