Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now MetaCritic’s #1 game in 2025, and that just feels weird

The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has prompted a little bit of a disturbance within the rankings of video games launched this 12 months, so far as the general crucial rating is anxious. The reason being pretty normal, and it has to do with older video games being re-released for the brand new console.

On this case, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a sport initially launched in 2017 – over eight years in the past – is now thought-about one among 2025’s highest-rated video games.

Breath of the Wild, after all, isn’t only a Change sport that’s playable on the console’s successor, the Change 2; it’s additionally amongst choose few video games Nintendo elected to improve to reap the benefits of the facility of the brand new console.

These upgrades apply to Breath of the Wild, in addition to its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom – each of that are paid. These are so known as Change 2 Editions (or Improve Pack for those who already personal it) – which, in Breath of the Wild’s case, does not even include all the DLC! In fact, releasing a brand new version means you get one other shot at charting among the many 12 months’s highest critically-acclaimed video games, which is strictly what simply occurred.

The large MetaCritic list of 2025’s highest-rated games has “new” entrants. Breath of the Wild now sits at primary, tied with the wonderful Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – a brand new sport that was truly launched in 2025. Breath of the Wild’s transfer additionally places it forward of Blue Prince, one other critically-acclaimed 2025 launch.

Because it stands, Expedition 33 stays on the high with a mixed 93MC rating, now tied with Breath of the Wild with 93, Blue Prince with 92, Split Fiction with 91, and Despelote rounding out the highest 5 with an 89MC rating.

Clearly, new arrivals additionally inevitably knock present video games out of their respective slots. Breath of the Wild has knocked The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy out of the highest 20, for instance.

Contemplating that improvement, we’re very more likely to see the identical listing get up to date once more quickly with the arrival of the Change 2 Version of Tears of the Kingdom, which at present sits at a good higher 94MC. Which means, quickly, the 2023 sport will likely be… 2025’s highest-rated launch on MetaCritic.

Should you picked a Change 2 and located your self shopping for these Zelda upgrades, you could need to bookmark our Breath of the Wilds guide, in addition to Tears of the Kingdom guide. We’re guessing you’ve in all probability forgot loads – or, even higher, you could be enjoying them for the primary time. Both means, our guides are an incredible useful resource.