Howdy, nicely met stranger, and welcome to Jurassic Park! Nintendo Life’s Various Awards 2025!
It has been…nicely…it has been a yr by which we’ve all existed, that is for certain, and consequently video games occurred. A great deal of them, actually. After all, and as is custom at the moment of yr (it is Christmas, mate, get up), you’ve got acquired your regular shoe-ins for Sport of the 12 months, your fancy writing awards, good performing, and good gameplay nods. All that stuff and nonsense for individuals who do all the pieces proper on a regular basis.
Nonetheless, and as anybody who’s drunk as a lot festive sherry as we’ve over time will let you know, there are numerous extra video games worthy of a point out in any given yr whenever you broaden your horizons ever-so-slightly. Who wants the pomp and circumstance of a Silksong, for instance, whenever you’ve acquired the weapons and squirrels of Squirrel with a Gun? That kind of factor.
Now, that is to not say what follows is in any means much less prestigious, thoughts you. We have some absolute bangers in right here. It is simply that some good video games come at you from sudden angles. Y’know. Like these wee Christmas vol-au-vents. You simply by no means see them coming.
So, with out additional ado, and earlier than these scrumptious flaky pastries go chilly, let’s dig into our 2025 Various Award selections. Regarde!
On this web page: Nintendo Life’s Various Awards 2025
1.Greatest ‘Sport We Want We Favored Extra’ 20252.Greatest ‘Sport That includes A Squirrel With A Gun’ 20253.Greatest Retro Remake / Remaster / Re-Launch 20254.Greatest ‘Sport That includes A Glass Skater Whose Soul Is Chained To Their Board’ 20255.Most Improved Efficiency For A Swap 1 Sport On Swap 2 20256.Greatest ‘Sport With Toxic Centipedes’ 20257.Greatest ‘Finish-Of-12 months Arrival That Dropped Too Late To Make Our GOTY Record’ 20258.Most ‘Oh Crap, That Got here Out This 12 months?’ Sport 20259.Greatest Swap DLC 2025
Nintendo Life’s Various Awards 2025
Greatest ‘Sport We Want We Favored Extra’ 2025
Winner: Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion
When Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion was introduced for Swap 2, this specific author could not fairly comprise their pleasure. The explanation? Effectively, it appeared as if this sequel to a super-solid predecessor was going to present early Swap 2 adopters precisely what they needed to see on a brand new console. Big huge open worlds, high-octane robotic fights, and all the opposite kinds of issues that made the unique Swap crap itself.
In the long run, and as you’ll be able to examine in additional depth in our assessment, what we acquired was an excellent sport at its core, however one which simply did not fulfill when it got here to efficiency in any respect. This 30fps effort stuttered an excessive amount of, it is too janky total, and fight that sings on different platforms feels nicely mushy and unsatisfying at factors right here consequently. A disgrace! There have been updates and fixes, so there’s hope but.
Runners Up: Pokémon Z-A, Shadow Labyrinth
Greatest ‘Sport That includes A Squirrel With A Gun’ 2025
Winner: Squirrel with a Gun
One of many harder classes to evaluate, as we’re certain you’ll be able to think about. *cough* This prestigious — and likewise very massive and costly — award goes to a little bit of a left-field alternative on this class. Sure, that is proper, it is Dee Dee Creation’s Squirrel with a Gun.
Congratulations to everybody concerned in a sport that certain did make this author’s kids snigger loads. Additionally they know the names of a great deal of sorts of real-world weapons and weapons now, too. LEARNING BONUS MULTIPLIER X5!
Greatest Retro Remake / Remaster / Re-Launch 2025
Winner: Ultimate Fantasy Techniques: The Ivalice Chronicles
This very (bald) author gave Ultimate Fantasy Techniques: The Ivalice Chronicles an ideal huge juicy 9/10 in our assessment again at launch, and he’d do it once more!
Sure, some people have not taken to the best way by which some Warfare of the Lions content material was minimize, however actually we reckon the remix works higher total. Additionally, the additional preventing you bought in Warfare of the Lions…who actually wanted it? Significantly. You simply had like 40 hours of top-notch fight and also you’re kicking up a stink for extra?
With significant quality-of-life enhancements, gloriously slick visuals and efficiency, and CPU tweaks to make battles even higher, that is the most effective model of among the finest FF video games. So there.
Runners Up: Tony Hawks Professional Skater 3+4, Trails within the Sky 1st Chapter, Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD Remake
Greatest ‘Sport That includes A Glass Skater Whose Soul Is Chained To Their Board’ 2025
Winner: Skate Story
Unbelievable scenes right here on the awards. Unreal stuff. We had been up all evening (this author pulled all of his personal hair out), however ultimately the choice has been made to award Greatest Sport That includes A Glass Skater Whose Soul Is Chained To Their Board 2025 to…*drum roll*
It is Skate Story! Devolver has given us one other a kind of video games, you already know those, like your Hotline Miamis and whatnot, that instantly…as quickly as you begin to play…you simply really feel x100 cooler. The plot (involving hell, souls, demons, glass issues, skating) is strictly mad sufficient that you just should know the way it ends, and on this chaotic hook is then hung some supremely good skating.
Like, truly. The skating is nice. Who knew?! We simply thought it was gonna look good, but it surely’s acquired the whole thing this one. Try our 8/10 assessment in the event you do not imagine me.
Most Improved Efficiency For A Swap 1 Sport On Swap 2 2025
Winner: No Man’s Sky – Nintendo Swap 2 Version
The parents at Howdy Video games are not any strangers to pulling off a late save and turning issues round on a sport (or on this case port) that seemed all however out to sea. Or perhaps that needs to be out to area or one thing. One thing intelligent.
We beloved the Swap 1 port, however No Man’s Sky is a sport reworked on Swap 2, now with all of the bells and whistles you will discover elsewhere. And it runs good. And it appears to be like nice. It is also a sport that advantages vastly from having moveable mode on the desk – precisely the kind of factor you’ll be able to go away in your console for years and choose at throughout lazy durations (Mon-Fri, 9am – 5pm).
Runners Up: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Apex Legends
Greatest ‘Sport With Toxic Centipedes’ 2025
Winner: Labyrinth Of The Demon King
You would possibly suppose there’d be an entire lot of competitors for this one. Centipedes have lengthy been a basic and core a part of gaming. Nonetheless, and as we will see, these trendy game-makers…they simply do not honour the classics amongst…eh…laptop sport bugs?
Anyway. Labyrinth of the Demon King is totally stonking (and stinking) stuff. It is a belter. And also you, my good friend, ought to play it. It additionally has some nice huge centipedes in there. And they’re toxic. The great things.
Greatest ‘Finish-Of-12 months Arrival That Dropped Too Late To Make Our GOTY Record’ 2025
Winner: Despelote
Now this was a disgrace, truly, as a result of Despelote actually is a particular sport – a December arrival within the US and we do not get it on European eShops till thirteenth January. A roughly two-hour expertise, it is one thing we will all make time to play, and one thing we actually ought to, too.
Set through the Ecuadorian crew’s historic 2001 World Cup qualifying marketing campaign, it is a lovely factor to simply lose your self in for a single sitting, and it is also the kind of sport (given the operating time particularly) that you simply should not let anybody smash for you. So no spoilers right here. It is a prime story advised nicely. It is also a sport that shows a deep information, not simply of its material, however of video video games and interactive tales and the way they’re advised in a means that greatest conveys the emotion, alongside a time and a spot that’s common to anybody who’s ever been a baby (that is, like, a great deal of individuals).
Search it out, undergo its story and revel in a really particular factor certainly.
Runners Up: Terminator 2D: NO FATE, Octopath Traveler 0, Skate Story, The Rogue Prince of Persia
Most ‘Oh Crap, That Got here Out This 12 months?’ Sport 2025
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Version
This one is terrifying for this author as a result of I used to be on reviewing responsibility and it is genuinely arduous to imagine this wasn’t about two years again.
No matter how lengthy and tiring it’s possible you’ll or might not have discovered this yr, one factor is for sure: it is at all times price giving XCX a shout.
This Definitive Version makes good on the promise of the OG, including efficiency boosts and different enhancements that make for among the finest open-world video games (and/or Mecha video games) on Swap consoles as of writing. We’re actually feeling it! Nonetheless.
Runner Up: Donkey Kong Nation Returns HD
Greatest Swap DLC 2025
Winner: Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant DLC
Who needs 20 extra hours or thereabouts of premium-grade Chained Echoes content material? We’ll let you know who.
Me. We. We imply we do! And likewise, you. Maybe. Let’s neglect about this sentence. Chained Echoes is without doubt one of the greats of latest instances, a belter that everybody ought to dig into. Ashes of Elrant (and holding it imprecise, so no spoilers) provides extra of all the pieces you’ll have beloved about the principle sport. Hey, it is acquired 15 new songs in it. 15!
Runner Up: Atari 50 – Namco Legendary Pack, Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker, Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush
9 down! Flip the web page for 9 extra alt awards that did not match properly into their very own ranked 2025 lists…
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PJ is a workers author throughout Hookshot Media. He is been taking part in video video games just about nonstop for the reason that early Nineteen Eighties, which is ages in the past. Favorite genres embody RPGs, puzzle video games and wonderful huge single participant adventures of all types. The weirder the higher.
