Zack’s Year in Gaming

Of all the years I’ve been alive, 2025 is by far the one that happened most recently. I always get a little sentimental around this part of the calendar, looking back at all the peaks and valleys of the last 12 months, but this year, one highlight clearly stands out. Of course it was the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 the birth of my son in October. 

With a toddler already in the mix and my wife spending nearly all of 2025 pregnant, Dad Mode was certainly my default setting this year. I didn’t get as much time for gaming as I’m used to, but every now and then, when everyone was asleep and I managed to keep my own eyes open past 9pm, I found the opportunity to fire up the Switch (and Switch 2, of course).

So, with that in mind, here’s a recap of my year in gaming through a few dad-themed categories, I hope you enjoy!

Zack’s Year-in-Gaming, Dad-Style

• “The House Projects” – 5 Games I Started This Year and Still Intend to Finish
• “The Strollers” – 5 Games I Started This Year and Gave Up On
• “The Ponies” – The Next 5 Games I Want to Play
• “The French Fries” – The 5 Games I Finished This Year

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The House Projects

The true indication that I’m balancing the parenting of two kids with my love of video games is that I have what feels like a never-ending list of things I’ve started and not finished. That includes house projects like cleaning the attic and of course titles like Hades II. Here’s five games I promise I’ll finish as soon as I can find the time!

5. Stardew Valley

At the recommendation of a co-worker, my wife finally downloaded Stardew Valley for the first time this year. There’s been no shortage of coverage on the site detailing its many merits, but I’ve always sort of thought it wouldn’t be for me. That’s not to say I don’t love a slower paced, cozy game, but I wasn’t sure I’d find it to be particularly captivating.

Well, unsurprisingly I was wrong, and Stardew is maybe the most jam-packed gaming experience known to man. I’ve only just scratched the surface of all there is to do and I’m glad to have something chill to fall back to in between other more action-based titles.

4. Dave the Diver

Awarded David Silbert’s Game of the Year in 2023, Dave the Diver had been wasting away in the backlog for a while before I finally gave it a shot. Right off the bat, I could tell it was worthy of such praise, with an incredible variety of colorful characters to meet, things to do, and a strong sense of humor in every moment. Going from deep-sea diving for sushi ingredients to running a bustling restaurant made for a unique and interesting loop that hooked me right away.

My wife liked watching so much that she took over the reins, and I haven’t personally had a chance to get back in the saddle. Luckily our business is booming with me on the sidelines so maybe it’s better this way after all.

3. Mario Kart World

Saying I want to “finish” Mario Kart World may not be the right way to put it, but I know there’s a lot more to do that I haven’t gotten to in my first 30 or so hours with the game. Since it was the first Switch 2 release I got my hands on, I was itching to play it day and night during that first few weeks. After unlocking the characters I really wanted and getting some fun costumes, I put it down to focus on other games, but I think it’s about time I restart my engine and get back out there!

2. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Before Metroid Dread came out, I never would have considered myself a fan of metroidvanias. In fact, I’m not sure I’d ever even played one since the original Metroid on NES. But seeing all the hype for Dread coinciding with the OLED Switch made me think it might be worth digging into. I loved it and have tried many genre staples since then, but the Metroid Prime series has eluded me. I generally don’t like first-person style games, but after a few hours with MP4 I’m enjoying the atmosphere and planning to give it a real shot. These games are pretty good! Huh, who knew?!

1. Hades II

If you had told me Hades II would be the only new game coming out this year, I think I would’ve still been happy to call 2025 a success. Of course, as it turns out, we’ve been drowning in new releases with hardly any time to come up for air. I downloaded Hades II on release day without having tried the early access version at all, but I didn’t have a chance to give it a shot until a few weeks later.

To be honest, Hades II didn’t grab me the way I wanted it to, and I set it aside pretty quickly. Supergiant’s approach to storytelling in these games is a bit of a slow burn and there’s a lot of assumptions that you already know what you’re doing. It’s been a while, ok?! I could use a refresher. I’ll be back, but maybe not until I remind myself how the heck to play.

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The Strollers

There’s probably nothing in our lives that my wife and I argue about more than strollers. She always wants to bring them whenever we go out so we don’t have to carry our babies, yet I know I’m going to end up pushing the stroller while I carry our babies because they want to be held. I’d love to force them into their rolling prisons, but sometimes I just have to give up and admit defeat.

Similarly, I no longer have time to waste on things that aren’t entertaining me, so my tolerance for a less than stellar experience is much lower than it used to be. Here’s the list of games I wanted to love, but just couldn’t find the spark, so they got kicked to the curb.

5. Split Fiction

Look, I should’ve known better. I’ve written about how It Takes Two‘s fighting couple ironically almost led to a divorce in my own house, but for some reason I thought this would be different. Unfortunately, these games just aren’t a fit for my wife and me. Maybe we need to figure out what that means about our communication styles, but more likely we’ll just keep blaming Hazelight Studios for making these things too damn hard.

It Takes Two was challenging in its execution of teamwork, butSplit Fiction just straight up brings the heat. Regardless of whether or not you had to work together to solve certain puzzles or challenges, the difficulty here was no joke. I died constantly in combat or chase sequences along with the expected countless times I flubbed platforming sections. There just isn’t enough here to save a linear, trial-and-error, on-rails “adventure” for my own tastes.

4. No Man’s Sky

With so few proper Switch 2 games available at launch, I was very excited to see that No Man’s Sky had a port ready to go immediately. I’d heard that after a tough introduction, this game had seen so many patches and updates over the years it was practically unrecognizable from its original state (that happens to be my new year’s resolution this year too).

Well, perhaps that’s true, but I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. This probably has the top score for fastest time I quit a game I spent $60 on at roughly 20 minutes, largely due to the sheer density of its systems and mechanics. I could barely understand how to move around, let alone complete the first mission, with constant interruption from meters, gauges, and whatever the heck else was beeping at me. If the idea is to be as immersive as possible, I guess mission accomplished. Space travel seems overwhelming!!!

3. Outer Wilds

Fool me once, shame on me…I thought maybe Outer Wilds would scratch the space exploration itch that No Man’s Sky couldn’t, but uh, no. Given its indie vibes and focus on mystery, I hoped Outer Wilds would prove a bit more chill and relaxed.

In a way, that was true, as I was sufficiently bored with very little incentive to figure out what was happening around me. I guess you’re supposed to solve some legend about why a race of aliens went extinct or something? But, and I’m sorry to those people, I don’t know why I was supposed to care. Add in the fact that flying your spaceship is practically impossible and this was a close second for time spent before smashing the eject button.

2. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

In the months before the Switch 2 came out, I found myself in a bit of a gaming rut. Nothing was tickling my fancy the way I wanted it to and my Switch backlog wasn’t speaking to me. For the first time in months, I turned on the ol’ PlayStation 4 and ran through a few hits I’d never gotten to. I bounced off Marvel’s Spider-Man and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt within hours, honestly wondering how I could be so bad at the literal tutorial sections of these classics.

But the one adventure that caught my attention for a little while was Fallen Order. The opening sequence felt straight out of Uncharted and got my adrenaline going from the jump. Wielding a lightsaber rocked, duh, and throwing stormtroopers off cliffs with the force was a blast. Alas, I set it down for too long once Mario Kart World came around, and once I tried to get back into it, I completely forgot what I was doing. All of a sudden, the combat felt awkward, and I got stuck at a mini-boss without ever coming close to beating it. I probably won’t power through, but I had some great times with this one and might have to give the sequel a try anyways.

1. Donkey Kong Bananza

This one makes me sad. I truly wanted to love DK Bananza, and for about three levels I absolutely did. I spent the better part of two hours just in the first room for goodness sake! Donkey Kong has never looked this good and smashing stuff has definitely never felt so engaging.

Eventually though, it lost me. Destroying everything in sight was only novel for so long and collecting bananas became pointless far too early. For a platformer that had so much to discover, moving around was never enjoyable. Busting through terrain is a rush, but DK can’t jump or run the way Mario can. Between the pointless collectables, clunky traversal, and repetitive level design, I fell out of love with DK Bananza almost as quickly as I fell in. Bummer!

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The Ponies

Will we ever get my daughter a pony? Probably not. She rode one at a farm once and had a great time. My parents even started researching how much it would cost to get one to live at home. We’ve put thought into it, come kind of close and would love to make it happen, but unfortunately haven’t been able to pull the trigger. I’d like to get to the following games at some point, but then again, they might just be ponies. 

5. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

There’s definitely a 50% shot I hate the new Hyrule Warriors installment, especially considering I loved the first one and didn’t care for the direct sequel. I felt the original had a strong sense of strategy and tactical thinking that blended with the action to make a formidable combo. Although Age of Calamity brought a more interesting story and amazing roster of characters to the table, whatever brainy aspect of the series I had previously enjoyed was less pronounced for me.

Still, I love that Nintendo is putting these games out and showing a willingness to spin-off such an iconic franchise that isn’t known for its non-mainline titles. If I ever see Age of Imprisonment on sale, I’ll definitely jump at it, but until then it’s a little lower on the list compared to some other more surefire hits.

4. Star Wars Outlaws

Given my experience with Jedi: Fallen Order, I’ve been itching for some more Star Wars action I could play on the Switch. When I saw that Outlaws was actually considered a strong port, it piqued my interest enough to give it a try.

I bought the digital version during a sale on the eShop and it’s one I’ll be looking to get into sooner rather than later. Although I did find out after purchasing it that you don’t actually have a lightsaber OR the Force, so maybe I’m in for a bit of a rude awakening.

3. Nine Sols

This stylish metroidvania has been on my to-do list ever since fellow Punished Backlog contributor Donovan Harrell posted a strong review of it on the site last year. The visual style alone was almost enough for me to buy it on the spot, but I’d been in the midst of a run on the genre when I first heard about it. Now a year later, with other major releases on this particular list (spoiler), I’m not sure I’ll get to it next, but I have no doubt once I finally do, I’ll wonder what took me so long.

2. Blue Prince

There’s plenty of games that I want to try, but I’m missing out on by not having a PlayStation 5. Astro Bot and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 come to mind for sure, but at the top of that list is Blue Prince. Part of the reason I want it so badly is it looks like a game that would be perfect on the Switch. It isn’t graphically groundbreaking or anything like that, and being able to play on the go makes every game better. This roguelike puzzle/mystery adventure looks fantastic, with a heavy emphasis on detective work few games these days handle so well. I’ve heard amazing things and can’t wait to tackle this mansion’s secrets as soon as Nintendo tells me I can.

1. Hollow Knight: Silksong

I’ve waited this long, what’s a few more months?

When Silksong was announced, I was over the moon just like everyone else. I had only played Hollow Knight a couple of years ago, but the unfulfilled promise of a sequel was still eating away at me the more time that went by. The only problem is when it did finally shadow drop in September, we were only a few weeks away from my son’s due date. I didn’t want to get into it and then have to put it down and I definitely didn’t want to rush through it without savoring every moment.

Since then, it has been hard to find the time to give it the proper attention it deserves. I want the conditions to be perfect. I want to light some candles, slip into something comfortable and then sit on the couch by myself for 48 straight hours until I reach the pinnacle of happiness. That probably won’t be until my kids move out in 18 years, but if that’s what I have to do to make it worth it, then that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. 

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The French Fries

When you set a meal down in front of your toddler there’s no telling how it’ll go. The only thing we can count on getting scarfed down is a serving of french fries. Can I blame her? Of course not. Though I surprised myself when looking back at all of the games I managed to try this year, I only counted five that I was able to say I finished. Here’s that list in order of how much I enjoyed my time with each.

5. Gloomy Eyes

I was grateful to receive a review copy of this Tim Burton-esque puzzlebox game earlier this year and had a decent time working my way through the five or so hours it took to complete. It’s a simple story with some awkward design choices that is highlighted by a quirky and spooky claymation horror visual style. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it, but in the right hands I’m sure there would be some folks who’d enjoy what Gloomy Eyes has to offer. 

4.  Is This Seat Taken?

A cute, short puzzler good for a rainy day or a chill bite sized gaming session while the kids are taking a nap. You’ll be arranging little sprites in different environments based on quirky traits and preferences. Sometimes it’ll be a packed train car with some smelly passengers and other times you’ll have to carefully separate two opposing fan bases at a sports game. It isn’t much more robust than a mobile game, but I played it on Switch 2 and had a good time. I wish that the difficulty varied more, as it generally recycled some of the same ideas throughout the ten hours I spent with it, but the little puzzles are all interesting enough to deserve your attention.

3. Misc. A Tiny Tale

Another game I was able to review this year, Misc. A Tiny Tale, despite its confusing name, was a great time. I’m a long-time fan of the GameCube’s Chibi-Robo, and this indie love letter to that cult classic was as close to a reboot as I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t perfect, but it kept me wanting more and hit the sweet spot of nostalgia in a genre that doesn’t get a lot of attention these days. If we get a sequel with some added depth and levels, I’ll be first in line!

2. Moonlighter

Speaking of sequels, when I saw that indie hit Moonlighter was getting one this year, I thought it might be worth it to see what the original had to offer. I was able to snag it during an eShop sale for less than $5 and it proved to be one of the best bang-for-your-buck games in my whole library.

Part dungeon crawler, part shop-sim, Moonlighter’s gameplay loop was addicting without ever feeling too stale. There were so many small details that made switching from looting to selling an absolute breeze day in and day out. You could easily mark items you needed for crafting, sort through your notes for information on pricing and upgrade your store until building your fortune didn’t even make you break a sweat. The weapon variety and different combat styles available meant I was never stuck or frustrated with a dungeon or boss I couldn’t figure out. With its beautiful blend of genres, I’d recommend Moonlighter to just about anyone and I can’t wait to check out the new one when it comes to Switch 2!

1. Gigasword

Given the fact that I didn’t manage to play most of the big releases this year, I’m not sure I can confidently say this is THE Game of the Year. For me personally, though, there’s only one choice.

Gigasword is a triumph not only in game design and pure fun, but also in making a dream come true. Having the chance to meet Gigasword’s solo developer, Jack Breen, at PAX East this year gave me a deeper appreciation for the industry as a whole and what it takes to break into a field as massive as gaming is.

But at the end of the day, there also isn’t a game I had a better time with in 2025 than Gigasword. It’s an endlessly creative, snappy and vivid metroidvania with a nostalgic style that somehow still feels fresh and new. Jack has also vowed to make some quality of life improvements, even specifically mentioning patches like fast travel and map icons that I happened to name in my review as areas for improvement. I wish nothing but continued success for the game and the team-of-one behind it, and I’m happy to call Gigasword my favorite game of 2025!

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With that, we’re on to 2026 and what’s sure to be another standout year for video games. As long as I don’t have a third kid I might find the time to get through some of this backlog, so wish me luck. Stay tuned for my gaming resolutions in January and until then, happy new year!