Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 were considered among the best games ever made when they were released, and a decade and a half later that still hasn't changed. The attempt to replace the Wii Remote's pointer controls with Joy-Con gyro movement never feels quite as intuitive as the original experience, but this concession won't dampen the spirits of anyone lucky enough to be playing these games for the first time. Both games remain the high point of creativity in the platform game genre, making this one of the easiest recommendations we've ever made.

In a franchise that doesn't change much year-to-year, EA Sports FC 26 takes that to the extreme. While it's by default the best football game on the market, and competing at the highest level of Ultimate Team remains enjoyable, we expected a more revolutionary entry. Promoted as the game that would fix years of issues that have plagued players, most of them remain. Cynical changes to Ultimate Team make the mode worse for free-to-play players, and the game's other modes are barely looked at.

Ghost of Yotei fufills much of the promise of Ghost of Tsushima, delivering a hugely enjoyable open-world game, that almost rids itself of Tsushima's bloat. Pacing issues and some underdeveloped villains asside, Yotei improves on the original game in every department, and delivers best-in-class visuals and music.

As a sequel, Hades 2 is ambitious, and delivers one of the most satisfying roguelite experiences in years. Yet, it can’t escape the shadow of its predecessor, and in trying to add every idea possible to amplify its scale, the story ends up losing the trademark weight of the studio.

Silent Hill F is certainly a diversion from the main series in a lot of (mostly welcome) ways, but it's still very much a Silent Hill game at heart. By focusing more on action – especially after a surprising twist halfway through – it risks alienating some survival horror fans by making combat the priority rather than the last resort, while some of its puzzles are too obtuse for their own good, but it's still an astoundingly beautiful game that horror fans really should experience regardless of its flaws.

CrossWorlds is a brilliant karting game with satisfying handling, a fun portal mechanic and useful customisation options. Its weapons aren't as punchy as we'd like and it's unclear how it's going to keep players' attention long-term but it's a genuine, more traditional alternative to Mario Kart now that Nintendo's pointed its series in new direction.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is caught in a web of trying to bind two conflicting genres together, with the expectations and norms of each half damaging the other. The beauty of its art design and precise, joyful feel of its movement are inarguable wonders, but the tiring and demotivating nature of its sadistic approach to challenge ripples throughout the entire experience of exploration and combat. It's more of what was good about Hollow Knight, but it failed to avoid some very clear pitfalls in design on its long path to release.

Borderlands 4 is a great RPG shooter with rewarding, engrossing gameplay. Some of the set dressing, like the bland new characters and pointless grappling hook, take the shine off, but the sheer amount of fun we've had with the game can't be overlooked. Borderlands 4 reminds us exactly why we were such big fans of the original two games, and falls on its sword in learning the mistakes of 3.

Rather than trying to bring Sony's classic golfing series into the modern age, Bandai Namco has ensured Everybody's Golf Hot Shots feels like one of the older games in the series. That's certainly not a negative: it has a devoted fanbase for a reason, and the decision to stick with the three-press swing system and provide lots of single-player content results in a pleasantly authentic old-school Everybody's Golf experience.

Cronos is a perfectly acceptable survival horror that looks astonishing at times and has an engaging plot (albeit a very confusing one) to ensure players reach the end. That said, there isn't a lot here that hasn't been seen in other survival games before it, and the combination of annoying enemy AI and no real difficulty settings mean some players will have a frustrating time of things.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land was already a fantastic game, and this new upgrade is worth the $20 asking price. The increase in resolution and switch to 60fps make it look and feel far more polished than before, and while the 12 new stages are essentially little more than an expansion pack, in this case more of the same thing isn't a negative.

It's been too long since we had a new Shinobi game, but Art of Vengeance has been more than worth the wait. With tremendous visuals, an exceptional soundtrack and a compelling combat system that makes each fight a delight, this elevates Sega's action platformer to new heights in the same way Lizardcube previously did with Streets of Rage 4. Exceptional.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater does exactly what we wanted it to. It's a way to play the PS2 classic on modern hardware, with a fresh coat of paint, and contemporary controls. While those looking for a more expansive remake may be left wanting, translating much of MGS 5's excellent gameplay to the PS2 classic is more than enough for us. After a difficult decade, Metal Gear is back.

Drag x Drive is a lovely little multiplayer game let down by a dearth of content. As long as you get get to grips with its control scheme you'll have a great time on the court and will likely get your $20's worth, but Nintendo needs to update this game with new features or modes if it doesn't want to see the community moving on after a couple of months.

Mafia: The Old Country returns to the series' roots with a more linear adventure, delivering a solid story (if a cliché-heavy one) and satisfying combat. The character models and environments are stunning to look at, but the latter raises our main issue: as much as we appreciate the focus on a linear story, this wonderfully sculpted Sicily map is begging to be explored more and is sorely underused as a result.

The Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25 is the best wrestling game on a Nintendo console since at least the N64 era, certainly the GameCube one. It's not without its faults, some of which are present on all versions of the game, but the overall package is a brilliant offering. It's satisfying enough as an annual iteration on other formats, but as the first non-broken WWE 2K entry on a Nintendo console since the 480p era, it's a revelation for Nintendo-playing wrestling fans.

Le Mans Ultimate is an exceptional racing sim that offers quality racing. It's sorely lacking in features, however, especially if you're a solo player.

Though Mario Party Jamboree’s Switch 2 additions are of mixed quality, its best additions, which take advantage of the Switch 2 hardware, undoubtedly elevate what’s already one of the best series entries.

Falling slightly short of Odyssey’s genius, Donkey Kong Bananza is still a thoroughly entertaining Switch 2 platformer, with a heartfelt story, and DK’s most memorable adventure in years.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is an all-time great sequel and one of Hideo Kojima's best games. With a stunning world, greatly expanded gameplay and player choice, and one of Kojima’s most compelling casts and narratives, it significantly improves on the original in virtually every way.

Welcome Tour breaks down the Switch 2 console and controllers to an impressive degree, sharing a wealth of behind-the-scenes insights into Nintendo's hardware development research. Its level of depth won't appeal to everyone, however, and while its tech demos and mini-games are fun enough they lack longevity, meaning once you've seen everything on offer here your $10 has pretty much run its course.

Although its open world is wonderfully designed, Mario Kart World's undercooked Free Roam mode means it's not utilised to its fullest, turning what should have been an exciting new direction for the series into a disappointment. This is thankfully salvaged by the traditional Grand Prix, VS Race and Online modes, which are as brilliant as ever, and the exceptional new Knockout Tour battle royale, meaning the overall package is still well worth your time.

Elden Ring Nightreign is an overly clumsy attempt to graft multiplayer antics to one of the best RPGs ever. While its rougelike elements may entertain, a lack of variety and uneven combat system ultimately make for a curious sideshow that doesn't come close to the series that shares its name.

A cheery and densely-packed co-op metroidvania that’s here for a good time, not a long time.

Doom: The Dark Ages gets so much right, that its main flaws come when the game takes you away from its main, excellent combat loop. While not every new addition works, the game’s new open zones are a treat, and the Doomslayer’s arsenal is still incredibly fun to run around with.

Oblivion's importance to the history of not only RPGs, but modern video games, can't be undersold. It's a game that deserves to be enjoyed by a modern audience, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a great way to do that. Issues with the game that were slightly annoying in 2006 are maddening in 2025 and may turn off new players, but for millennials who still talk about The Dark Brotherhood, it's a lovely nostalgia trip through one of gaming's best RPGs.

South of Midnight is a gorgeous adventure with wonderful performances, striking visuals and solid platforming gameplay. Its combat, however, is repetitive and reductive in equal measure, letting the overall package down considerably.

InZOI is a wonderfully detailed challenger to The Sims with extensive customisation options and some surprisingly original ideas, such as being able to create objects from photos. With a bit more personality and structure it could be a serious contender for the top spot, but at this Early Access stage it's instead a worthwhile alternative to EA's series. [Review in Progress]