Zelda: Breath of the Wild Tops MetaCritic’s List in 2025, and It’s a Surprising Twist

Alright, so picture this: Nintendo drops the Switch 2 bombshell and suddenly, the game world goes a bit topsy-turvy. Why? Well, turns out some old flames are back in town. And by old flames, I mean games we thought we’d moved on from. Like, remember The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Yeah, from 2017! That’s, like, forever ago in gaming years. But boom, it’s back, now wooing the charts in 2025. Crazy, right?

What got me was seeing it ranked as one of the top games this year. Almost did a double-take. But it’s not just any game. Nope, it’s one Nintendo decided to sprinkle some Switch 2 magic on. They actually gave it a beefed-up version just for this new console. And, yep, it’s not free. Gotta pay for these so-called Switch 2 Editions—or get an Upgrade Pack if you’re OG like that and already own it. Wild, considering it doesn’t even bundle all the DLC. I mean, come on.

So, guess what that means? A fresh chance to top the charts. Not kidding. Breath of the Wild is now sitting in the number one spot, alongside this hot new 2025 gem, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Honestly, never played it, but now I’m curious. Meanwhile, Blue Prince wistfully eyes the leaderboard from a step below.

Getting down to the numbers, Expedition 33 and Breath of the Wild both snagged a 93MC score. Blue Prince trails with 92, then there’s Split Fiction at 91, and rounding off the top five is Despelote at 89MC. Let’s not forget how Breath of the Wild just muscled The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy right off the top 20. Brutal.

The kicker? We might see another remix when Tears of the Kingdom gets its Switch 2 makeover. It’s already hitting a 94MC—higher than… well, just about everything. So, soon enough, a 2023 game might crown the 2025 charts. Bizarre but in a cool way.

If you’re like me and snagged a Switch 2 with those Zelda upgrades, save yourself some headaches and bookmark our guides for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Whether it’s because you’ve forgotten everything or you’re diving in fresh, trust me, those guides are lifesavers.