As the gaming industry prepares for the end-of-year accolades, Digital Foundry—known for its in-depth technical analyses—has unveiled its list of 2025's best graphics across major platforms.
While the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series titles such as Ghost of Yōtei, Mafia: The Old Country, and Silent Hill f featured prominently, this year’s awards also recognized significant achievements on Nintendo’s platforms, particularly with the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2. Digital Foundry's technical team dedicated its honourable mentions section exclusively to standout Switch 2 games, acknowledging the diverse approaches developers have taken to push the Tegra T239 processor's capabilities.
Games including Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, and Fast Fusion were praised for "maximising the Tegra T239 in different ways," showcasing Nintendo’s platform versatility and adaptability.
Star Wars Outlaws was notably highlighted as "currently Switch 2's best 'impossible port'," demonstrating how ambitious AAA titles are finding new life on Nintendo’s hardware. Another noteworthy recognition went to porting studio Panic Button for their ongoing efforts in enhancing existing titles through Switch 1-to-2 upgrades.
Their work ensures previously released Nintendo Switch games can leverage the improved hardware of the successor console, offering fans enhanced performance and visuals. In a significant achievement, Metroid Prime 4 landed an official spot in the top 10—making it the only Switch 2 exclusive to break into the main list for 2025.
Digital Foundry described Samus Aran’s latest adventure as "a lighting masterwork," citing its exemplary use of pre-baked lighting within meticulously designed environments.
The report detailed how the developers utilized lighting technologies not only to create stunning visual phenomena like emissive lighting, but also to naturally guide players through indoor and outdoor sections of the game world. The analysis also acknowledged the performance of Metroid Prime 4 on the original Nintendo Switch hardware.
Digital Foundry commended the game for offering substantial ecosystem diversity across vast exploration zones while maintaining a steady 60 frames per second.
This, according to their team, builds upon the "already impressive" standards established by Metroid Prime 1 Remastered and demonstrates how the 2017 Nintendo Switch continues to receive boundary-pushing titles even in 2025. The top 10 list from Digital Foundry, unordered except for the top three spots, included: - Dying Light: The Beast - Earthion - Ghost of Yōtei - Mafia: The Old Country - Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Routine - Silent Hill f 3.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach 2.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows 1.
Doom: The Dark Ages With Digital Foundry’s expert evaluation, Nintendo and its development partners have once again proven their ability to deliver visually impressive games.
Whether through innovative new releases on Nintendo Switch 2 or enhanced versions of existing favorites, 2025 stands as a testament to the enduring appeal and evolving technical prowess of Nintendo’s platforms.
Readers can view detailed breakdowns and technical analysis for each entry by visiting Digital Foundry’s official channels.
While the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series titles such as Ghost of Yōtei, Mafia: The Old Country, and Silent Hill f featured prominently, this year’s awards also recognized significant achievements on Nintendo’s platforms, particularly with the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2. Digital Foundry's technical team dedicated its honourable mentions section exclusively to standout Switch 2 games, acknowledging the diverse approaches developers have taken to push the Tegra T239 processor's capabilities.
Games including Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, and Fast Fusion were praised for "maximising the Tegra T239 in different ways," showcasing Nintendo’s platform versatility and adaptability.
Star Wars Outlaws was notably highlighted as "currently Switch 2's best 'impossible port'," demonstrating how ambitious AAA titles are finding new life on Nintendo’s hardware. Another noteworthy recognition went to porting studio Panic Button for their ongoing efforts in enhancing existing titles through Switch 1-to-2 upgrades.
Their work ensures previously released Nintendo Switch games can leverage the improved hardware of the successor console, offering fans enhanced performance and visuals. In a significant achievement, Metroid Prime 4 landed an official spot in the top 10—making it the only Switch 2 exclusive to break into the main list for 2025.
Digital Foundry described Samus Aran’s latest adventure as "a lighting masterwork," citing its exemplary use of pre-baked lighting within meticulously designed environments.
The report detailed how the developers utilized lighting technologies not only to create stunning visual phenomena like emissive lighting, but also to naturally guide players through indoor and outdoor sections of the game world. The analysis also acknowledged the performance of Metroid Prime 4 on the original Nintendo Switch hardware.
Digital Foundry commended the game for offering substantial ecosystem diversity across vast exploration zones while maintaining a steady 60 frames per second.
This, according to their team, builds upon the "already impressive" standards established by Metroid Prime 1 Remastered and demonstrates how the 2017 Nintendo Switch continues to receive boundary-pushing titles even in 2025. The top 10 list from Digital Foundry, unordered except for the top three spots, included: - Dying Light: The Beast - Earthion - Ghost of Yōtei - Mafia: The Old Country - Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Routine - Silent Hill f 3.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach 2.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows 1.
Doom: The Dark Ages With Digital Foundry’s expert evaluation, Nintendo and its development partners have once again proven their ability to deliver visually impressive games.
Whether through innovative new releases on Nintendo Switch 2 or enhanced versions of existing favorites, 2025 stands as a testament to the enduring appeal and evolving technical prowess of Nintendo’s platforms.
Readers can view detailed breakdowns and technical analysis for each entry by visiting Digital Foundry’s official channels.
