Throughout 2025, fantastic games of varying shapes, sizes, and genres occupied our time and attention. At the end of the year, the most unforgettable experiences rise to the top and emerge as frontrunners for our favorite game of the year. After deliberation, XDA's Gaming team — Jakejames Lugo, Samarveer Singh, and I — settled on our top ten video games of 2025.

These are the titles that reminded us why we love gaming this year, even with all the uncertainty the world and the video game industry face right now. The following ten games rose up above the rest, and stand as this year's most definitive games.

10 Sword of the Sea

Available for PC and PS5

In an excellent year for atmospheric indie games, Sword of the Sea is one of the best. This short-but-sweet game lets players surf around a magical world on a Hoversword. Part extreme sports game and part Journey-like adventure game, Sword of the Sea is an emotionally moving yet fun experience that will stick with you long after its three-hour adventure is over.

Writing about this game for XDA sister site Android Police earlier in the year, I argued that Sword of the Sea was "an artistic piece about the beauty of nature and the freeing feeling of movement." Several months later, the XDA Gaming team still felt that was the case, which is why it made it onto this list of our favorite games of 2025.

9 Hell is Us

Available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X

Innovative design choices go a long way in making a game memorable and entertaining. In a sea of samey open-world action games, bold design choices that Rogue Factor and Nacon's Hell is Us made allowed it to stand out. This tough sci-fi action game is built around player ingenuity, offering the player little guidance as they explore its ravaged world and piece together the story's mysteries.

When the game was released in September, XDA's Samarveer Singh wrote that Hell is Us deserved to be a game of the year contender because it "brings together the best parts of the most incredible open-world games we know, all while giving them its own unique treatment that leaves the player in a place of awe." The XDA Gaming team agreed, earning it a spot on this list.

8 Kirby Air Riders

Available for Nintendo Switch 2

The newest video game on this list, Kirby Air Riders was a last-minute game of the year contender. This sequel to a GameCube cult classic improves upon the original in almost every conceivable way while also serving as a love letter to the Kirby franchise as a whole. Masahiro Sakurai proved he was a master of game design with the Super Smash Bros. titles, and Kirby Air Riders shows his magic isn't restricted solely to that series.

While simple on the surface, there's always some fun to be found or some exciting reward to unlock in Kirby Air Riders. In my glowing review of the game, I called it "a masterclass in offering controlled chaos in a competitive game" and "one of the best-looking and running Switch 2 games yet." In a year full of fantastic Nintendo games, Kirby Air Riders still captured our hearts as one of our favorite competitive-focused video games of the year.

7 Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

Available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch

2025 was truly the year of the ninja for the video game industry, as Assassin's Creed, Ninja Gaiden, and Shinobi all returned this year with ninja-starring action games. Of all those titles, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound emerged as XDA's favorite. This game took Ninja Gaiden back to its 2D platformer roots, offering some frenetic retro action that reminded us of what made the original Ninja Gaiden games so great.

In his review of the game, Jakejames Lugo argued that "Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound makes what's old feel incredibly cool again." Of all the retro throwback games this year, this was the one that those of us at XDA enjoyed playing the most. The same goes for it in comparison to all the ninja-themed games that came out this year. If you've never played a Ninja Gaiden game before, make Ragebound your first.

6 Mario Kart World

Available for Nintendo Switch 2

Launch titles set the tone for the new game console, and Mario Kart World kicked things off on a high note. Whereas previous Mario Kart games felt like very segmented experiences, this game combines everything into one open world that you can drive around. That gives tracks a cohesive identity and connects them, which the fantastic new Knockout Tour mode takes advantage of.

Then there's the Free Roam mode, which lets players explore that world at their own leisure or with friends. It set a high bar for Nintendo Switch 2 games to meet right from day one, and you couldn't ask for more from a launch title. Writer James Carr nailed it in his review for Mario Kart World when he called the game "a massive leap" for the series, which already is one of Nintendo's most popular.

5 Hollow Knight: Silksong

Available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2

Now we're getting to the heavy hitters. Hollow Knight: Silksong built up quite the infamous reputation for itself with how long it took to develop, but this Metroidvania surpassed those expectations when it finally released in September. XDA reviewer Dylan Turck even went as far as to call the game "a Metroidvania masterpiece" in his praise-filled 9 out of 10 review.

The XDA Gaming team all agreed that Hollow Knight: Silksong was the best indie game we played this year. It's a testament to how things can work out when a talented development team takes the time to refine and polish their ideas. It's a beautiful one and a joy to play. Hollow Knight: Silksong deserves the reputation it earned ahead of release, and is one of 2025's best games.

4 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Available for PS5

Hideo Kojima is such a standout auteur in the video game industry that our attention is thoroughly earned anytime he releases a new game. This year, Kojima Productions released Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and we thought this sequel was even better than the original. From story to gameplay, it improves upon the Death Stranding formula in almost every way.

It's one of Samarveer Singh's favorite games in recent years, with him asserting in his review that "something this bold, this beautiful, and this wildly unique — born out of AAA resources, but wielding the daring voice of a complex, niche indie — is a masterpiece." So many great games came out this year that it couldn't quite top our list, but take this as a hearty recommendation that you must play Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

3 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 needs little introduction. While few knew about this RPG inspired by classics like Final Fantasy X coming into the year, after its launch in April, it revitalized the RPG genre and took the world by storm. It essentially combines all the best parts of classic turn-based RPGs while telling a moving story about grief, letting things go, and fighting for those who come after.

Yes, the heaps of praise tossed this game's way could sometimes get a little too over-the-top, but that's because it is truly deserving of praise. Sandfall Interactive knocked it out of the park with their first game, crafting an experience that punched above its weight and cemented itself in the legacy of RPG history. If you've somehow avoided the hype surrounding this game, use this as an excuse to finally check Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 out.

2 Ghost of Yotei

Available for PS5

The games at the top of this list are truly defining for the consoles they were released on. Coming in as runner-up, we have Ghost of Yotei, the latest PS5 exclusive from Sucker Punch Productions. We absolutely loved how this game whisked us away to Japan, delivering one of the most visually stunning games ever made. Every journey between missions is absolutely enthralling, and Atsu's emotional journey of revenge and self-discovery gave us a reason to keep going.

It's a sequel that stands on its own, with Jakejames Lugo arguing in his review that "Ghost of Yotei shows that you don't need to rehash all the same aspects from a previous hit in order to have the essence that made it successful in the first place." If you own a PS5, you need to buy Ghost of Yotei. It's one of the best games ever released for the system, and was just barely edged out for Game of the Year after a heated debate.

1 Game of the Year: Donkey Kong Bananza

Available for Nintendo Switch 2

Donkey Kong Bananza is XDA's Game of the Year for 2025. Just a month after the Nintendo Switch 2 launched, it received a truly defining game. Donkey Kong Bananza taps into the primal fun that comes from smashing things, offering a sandbox 3D platformer where every level is a playground where players can punch around and destroy as they see fit. It's both a technical marvel for the Switch 2 and a reminder of how Nintendo games emphasize player satisfaction above all else.

There's something inherently gratifying about destruction in video games, and Nintendo embraced that while also delivering a heartfelt story and gameplay with the depth you'd expect from an amazing 3D platformer. As Jakejames Lugo's review explains, Donkey Kong Bananza is "fun to play, colorful and visually sweet to look at, and contains a ton of hidden things to discover that will keep anyone busy for a long time." Of all the games released this year, Donkey Kong Bananza is the one we could all agree on as the best 2025 had to offer, so it earned XDA's Game of the Year honor with flying colors.

These games were bright spots in a tumultuous year for video games

2025 has been a roller coaster of a year for the video game industry. Issues like layoffs, game cancellations, and studio closures have compounded over the last couple of years, while generative AI and machine learning technology pose an existential threat to the developers who make the art we love. At the same time, developers big and small delivered some excellent, transformative, and unforgettable gaming experiences.

Nintendo came out swinging with a strong launch-year lineup for Nintendo Switch 2. Smaller development teams like Sandfall Interactive and Team Cherry revitalized the RPG and Metroidvania genres, respectively. There are even more outstanding games that didn't make this Top 10. Honorable mentions that almost made the list include (in no particular order) Arc Raiders, Shinobi: Act of Vengeance, Ball X Pit, Marvel Cosmic invasion, and Doom: The Dark Ages.

While aspects of the video game industry's future are uncertain, we can still be grateful that plenty of fantastic games came out this year and support them with the praise and engagement they deserve.