Feature: Games Of The Year 2025 - Nintendo Life Staff Picks

Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2)

Kirby Air Riders is going up against a lot of heavy hitters in the first year of Switch 2’s life, but don’t mistake this for any old racing game, as it plays nothing like them. And hey, it’s a Sakurai-directed game, so you’ll feel right at home if you’ve experienced any of his previous work, as it’s got a familiar menu, accessible gameplay mechanics, a brilliant soundtrack, and a big hamster named Rick, who you'll probably see a lot of online. - LD

Comparisons to Mario Kart World are, in all honesty, basically pointless when talking about Kirby Air Riders. It’s a racer, yes, but also sort of not. Despite its controls being substantially simpler, it’s about 17 times more intense. In a time of battle passes and bloated storylines, Kirby Air Riders is just an insane amount of arcade-style fun, and that should absolutely not be taken for granted. - AO

And to think, at one point I had Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds in pole position as far as 2025 Switch 2 racers go. After the personal disappointment of Mario Kart World (not a fan of the open world), I was glued to the blue hedgehog's fantastic rival kart racer. That is until Kirby Air Riders showed up.

Anyone expecting shallow auto-racing, take note. Kirby's latest controls like a dream, it's balanced to perfection, and the racing itself has a high skill ceiling. Yes, that crazy, colourful chaos is actually a finely tuned extravaganza of racing excellence, should you choose to fully engage, and especially online where the whole things get turned up to 11. - PJ

Labyrinth Of The Demon King (Switch eShop)

Oh boy. What a game this one is. Labyrinth Of The Demon King grabs you the second that you boot it up, and it refuses to let go until it's done with its grisly business.

Part of the immediate draw here is, of course, the game's stunningly dingy, '90s graphical style. It looks like Manhunt on a pretty big downer at points, but it's also an immaculately-realised vibe, a wonderfully well put-together thing that brings horror-tinged dungeon-crawling to life in a truly memorable way.

If you enjoy concepts like 'lo-fi', if you yearn for punishing combat, tough puzzles, and relentless blood and grisly death in an old-school, pixellated dungeon style, this one's for you. Pervert. - PJ

Mario Kart World (Switch 2)

Mario Kart World hasn’t lived up to everyone’s expectations. However, as someone who hired out the original entry so many times I could have bought about 10 copies — and hasn’t missed a single release since — it’s still a very solid experience.

It might not necessarily evolve the series in the long run, and the open world could perhaps use a little more direction, but the Knockout Tour (especially online) is undoubtedly some of the most fun I’ve had with this series, even if I am ready to throw my Switch 2 out the window when I don’t make the next checkpoint. It doesn’t get more intense than that!

More seriously, Nintendo’s decision to make World its launch game (after the success of the evergreen Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) really paid off, with healthy Mario Kart sales a reassuring sign for Switch 2's future. Now, how about some DLC? - LD

Marvel Cosmic Invasion (Switch 2)

Never has a game felt so personally designed for me as Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Playing through Shredder’s Revenge is one of my fondest gaming memories in recent years, and I am one of the *checks notes* four people that are still overly invested in all things Marvel in 2025AD.

I had great expectations, and Cosmic Invasion didn’t let me down. I adore the pixel art, all of the comic book references, and the returning cartoon voice actors. The roster is huge and packed with diverse playstyles, and the challenge structure encourages you to actually use every hero — what a concept!

It might not be for everyone, but it certainly was for me. - JN

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2)

The expectation surrounding Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was bordering on overwhelming, and so I’m not surprised that the final product proved divisive. I adore it, though. It retains the same sense of discovery from the original trilogy with completely new biomes and a host of creatures great and small to scan and shoot into oblivion.

With some of the best boss fights in series history and an excellent new traversal mechanic with Vi-O-La, Beyond showcases Retro Studios’ talent at its height. A very welcome return, indeed. - OR

It might not be perfect, and it might have an irritating companion who won’t let go of your hand at times, but Metroid Prime 4 still manages to capture that majesty and whimsy of the original. I do wish the landscape was more connected than it is, but it’s very easy to forget about all that as you descend into the depths of Volt Forge, which might be the most visually stunning environment I’ve ever seen. - AO

Simogo Legacy Collection - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2)

I already waxed lyrical in my second opinion on Ken's review, and I'm still in awe of what Simogo accomplished here. Translating touch-based mobile games to console is inherently awkward, and given the studio's inventive design and the way they play with your expectations, forcing unusual interactions with your device, this could have gone so badly wrong.

But no. Crafting an elegant two-Joy-Con interface that lets you rotate the screen at will, plus integrating and playing to the strengths of Mouse Mode, you've got docked play on Switch 2 that's almost as intuitive as the handheld experience. There's no shying away or apologising for the mobile origins here; as the title suggests, Simogo embraces its legacy with inimitable style. - GL

Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition (Switch 2)

I love me a Street Fighter game, but goodness, I wasn’t quite ready for just how good Street Fighter 6 is. Capcom learnt its lesson from the previous entry, putting out one of the most content-rich and satisfying fighters of all time. 30fps performance in World Tour mode is disappointing, sure, but Arcade Mode and Online is rock solid, and that’s where Street Fighter 6 will shine brightest in five, ten years’ time.

Get your mates ‘round, crack open a few beverages, and you’ll have an absolute blast. - OR

I didn’t intend to spend much time with third-party ports when the Switch 2 arrived on the scene in June, but one game I couldn’t resist in the end was SF6. I’ve already sunk too much time into the PC and PS5 versions, and it’s just as satisfying on Nintendo’s hybrid.

While it may not look quite as impressive, the modes are all there, and everything else is intact. The Switch 2 iteration should also keep you competitive online. My one gripe is that I’ve been unable to get certain sticks and fight pads in my collection working, but that’s not on Street Fighter. - LD

The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy (Switch)

I’ve spoken at length about The Hundred Line, so I won’t bore you with the details here. Even after the magnificent Metroid Prime 4, this masterpiece from Kazutaka Kodaka remains my favourite game of the year. It achieved the impossible and made me a fan of tactical RPGs, while the story is quite simply one of the most ambitious I’ve ever seen in a video game.

I still think about its characters now, along with the plethora of decisions I had to make to drive the story forward. With 100 potential endings, The Hundred Line kept me busier than any other game this year, and yet I still want more. Pardon me, I’m just gonna go redownload something. - OR

Time Flies (Switch eShop)

My second pick from publisher Panic, they just seem to be putting out the most novel, intriguing, joyful stuff. I wonder if Despelote might have made my top five, too, if I'd had time to squeeze it in?

I value games that get in, do what they do, and get out without wasting anyone's time, and there's not an ounce of fat on this. 'Short and sweet' is in keeping with Michael Frei and Raphaël Munoz's ephemeral themes here. Throw in a beautifully simple art style, even simpler controls, and a fart gag, and I loved every moment.

Releasing in the wake of the Switch 2 probably didn't do it any favours. Wait for a sale if you must, but definitely tick this off your bucket list. - GL

UFO 50 (Switch eShop)

UFO 50 is something really, really special. 50 original old-school games in one, it is hard to express just how well executed the whole project is, with hundreds and hundreds of hours of enjoyment to be had here. Sure, not all of the games are bangers, but it all culminates in one of the best, unique gaming experiences ever. Don't sleep on this one. - FS

Putting a game I'm so far from 'finishing' in my top five feels odd, but there's no getting around it: UFO 50 is a colossal achievement that I'll be returning to for years.

All the ideas and variety within, plus the meta-narrative threads and tissue connecting it all, had me marvelling at the ambition, the execution, and the intelligence behind it, much like Lorelei left me in awe last year. How do you even start making something like this? Extraordinary. - GL

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (Switch)

I have done a whole lot of Xenoblading over the last few years, pals. Way more than I'd ever expected, and I've loved every minute of it, most especially my return visit to the wondrous Xenoblade Chronicles X in this Definitive Edition, which takes the whole thing to another level entirely.

What you've got here is a perfect port of game that successfully, somehow, manages to marry a big action RPG in the traditional Xenoblade style to a full-on mech combat game that, to this day, is still the best mech combat we've got on a Switch console. Until we get an Armored Core VI: Fire of Rubicon port, at least.

It's hard to pick holes in, which is why I ended up giving it a big juicy 10/10 in my review:

"This is X streamlined and modernised, carefully recast and reset in order to play better than ever. Additional characters, a new ending, and all that snazzy stuff is all well and good, and fans will be excited by the fresh revelations that occur, but it's in how everything flows so much better now that we reckon the hardcore will find themselves most impressed."

I agree, past me. I fully agree. - PJ

Xenotilt: Hostile Pinball Action (Switch eShop)

I was never really a fan of pinball games, but then Xenotilt came along and completely changed my mind. Despite featuring just one table (along with a small selection of ‘bonus stages’), the sheer size of it and the amount of things going on at once were enough to keep me hopelessly hooked. It’s a good job, too, because when your score starts creeping up into the billions, it provides a sense of satisfaction that precious few competitors can match.

With incredible neon-soaked visuals and a thumping soundtrack, it’s one of the most stylish games I’ve played. Even if you scoff at the idea of digital pinball, I’d urge you to reconsider and give it a shot. - OR