The Game Awards 2025 are here, and while Sony and Xbox came loaded with heavy hitters, Nintendo made its mark with quality over quantity. With just two first-party nominees — Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World — the company proved it still knows how to deliver unforgettable experiences. But that’s not all; several third-party titles available on the Switch and Switch 2, from Hades II to Hollow Knight: Silksong, are also in the spotlight. In this video, we’re breaking down every Nintendo-related nomination — starting with the first-party powerhouses and then diving into the standout third-party games you can play right now.

Nintendo First-Party Nominations

Nintendo may not have flooded the nominations list this year, but the two first-party contenders it brought to the table speak volumes about where the company is headed creatively. Both Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World represent the best of Nintendo’s design philosophy — games that balance innovation, polish, and pure fun. Each one captures a different side of the Nintendo experience: one reimagines a classic hero in bold new ways, while the other expands one of gaming’s most beloved franchises into something fresh and modern.

Donkey Kong Bananza

After years of rumors and anticipation, Donkey Kong Bananza finally swung onto the scene — and it’s everything fans hoped for. Nominated for both Game of the Year and Best Family Game, Bananza revitalizes the Donkey Kong series with vibrant worlds, clever level design, and an energetic soundtrack that channels that classic Rare-era charm while pushing into new territory. It’s a celebration of old-school platforming wrapped in next-gen presentation, serving as a statement piece for what the Switch 2 can do. For many players, this nomination feels like recognition that Donkey Kong has officially reclaimed his place alongside Mario and Zelda as a core Nintendo icon.

Mario Kart World

On the other end of the spectrum is Mario Kart World, a game that proves even the most familiar series can keep evolving. Nominated for Best Family Game and Best Sports/Racing Game, it takes the chaotic, joyful racing formula fans love and expands it into something bigger — a more open, exploration-driven experience that connects courses through hub areas and dynamic weather systems. It’s both a showcase of technical improvements on the Switch 2 and a reminder that Nintendo never stops reinventing its own classics. The sheer accessibility of Mario Kart World — fun for competitive players, families, and casual fans alike — makes it an easy favorite heading into the awards.

Together, these two nominations underscore Nintendo’s approach in 2025: focus on excellence, not quantity. Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World may be the only first-party entries this year, but both stand tall as examples of what makes Nintendo unique — imagination, craftsmanship, and games that anyone, anywhere, can enjoy.

Third-Party Nominees Playable on Switch / Switch 2

While Nintendo’s first-party lineup keeps its magic close to home, The Game Awards 2025 show that the Switch and Switch 2 have become true hubs for third-party excellence. The variety of nominees available on Nintendo’s platforms this year proves how far the ecosystem has come — from powerhouse indies to major AAA ports that run impressively on handheld hardware. It’s no longer just about Nintendo exclusives; the Switch is now where some of the most acclaimed modern games find a second life or reach new audiences altogether.

Indie Brilliance: Hades II & Hollow Knight: Silksong

Leading the charge are two of the most celebrated indie sequels of the generation. Hades II — nominated for Game of the Year, Best Indie, and Best Art Direction — brings back Supergiant’s signature blend of tight combat and rich storytelling, this time with new mythological twists. It runs beautifully on the Switch 2, showing how the console continues to support complex, high-quality indie titles. Meanwhile, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally emerged after years of anticipation, earning nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Score & Music. Its presence on Switch feels symbolic — the first game became an indie legend on the platform, and its sequel continues that tradition.

Strategy & Simulation Excellence: Civilization VII and Two Point Museum

One of the most interesting trends in this year’s lineup is how far strategy and management games have come on Nintendo’s hardware. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is nominated for Best Strategy/Sim Game, bringing the grand, world-building gameplay that PC players love to the Switch 2 with streamlined performance and touch controls. Alongside it, Two Point Museum takes the quirky, humorous management style of Two Point Hospital and polishes it into something fresh — another Best Strategy/Sim contender that fits perfectly with the Switch’s portable pick-up-and-play style. Together, these games highlight how Switch 2 has blurred the line between handheld and PC-scale gaming.

Action, Sports, and Community Favorites

Beyond the indies and strategy titles, several major franchises also found a home on Nintendo’s platform this year. No Man’s Sky, nominated for Best Ongoing Game and Best Community Support, continues to thrive with regular updates that the Switch community has fully embraced. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 earned a Best Fighting Game nomination, giving fighting fans a nostalgic yet competitive lineup to enjoy on the go. On the sports side, EA Sports FC 26 brought its most advanced iteration yet to Switch 2 — now recognized for Innovation in Accessibility and Best Sports/Racing Game — while Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds raced into nominations for both Best Family Game and Best Sports/Racing Game, showing how well Sega’s blue blur still performs on Nintendo hardware.

Altogether, these third-party nominees show that Nintendo’s console family has evolved into a balanced platform — one that celebrates creativity and accessibility as much as raw performance. Whether it’s an indie gem, a deep strategy title, or a AAA sports experience, the Switch ecosystem now offers something for everyone, making 2025 one of the strongest years yet for third-party support on Nintendo systems.

What It Means for Nintendo

Nintendo’s showing at The Game Awards 2025 may look modest at first glance — just two first-party titles among a sea of nominees — but in many ways, that simplicity is the point. Rather than spreading itself thin, Nintendo focused on delivering fewer, stronger experiences, and both Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World embody that philosophy perfectly. They represent a company that understands its identity: family-friendly, innovative, and timeless. In an industry that often chases trends, Nintendo continues to chart its own path, prioritizing fun and creativity over spectacle.

What’s equally telling, though, is the sheer number of third-party games that now share the stage with Nintendo’s own. The Game Awards nominations highlight how the Switch and Switch 2 have matured into legitimate multi-platform ecosystems. Titles like Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Civilization VII show that top-tier developers view Nintendo’s hardware not as an afterthought, but as a serious destination. That shift is massive — it means the Switch isn’t just the “second console” people own; it’s often the first choice for players who value versatility and creativity.

In a broader sense, 2025 marks a kind of balance point for Nintendo. The company no longer relies solely on its internal hits to define success; it’s built a platform strong enough to let others shine. The nominations reflect a healthy, thriving ecosystem — one where indie devs, major studios, and Nintendo’s own teams coexist in harmony. As the Switch 2 enters its prime years, that mix of originality and openness could be Nintendo’s biggest strength moving forward.

Ultimately, the message from this year’s awards is clear: Nintendo doesn’t need to dominate the conversation to stay relevant. With just a handful of carefully crafted titles and a wave of acclaimed third-party support, it’s proven once again that its greatest power lies in curation — in building a space where every kind of game, and every kind of player, can feel at home.

The Absence of Metroid Prime 4

One obvious omission from The Game Awards 2025 is Metroid Prime 4. After years of development updates, a dramatic gameplay reveal, and strong early reviews, many fans expected Samus to finally make her return to the awards stage. Yet, when the nominations dropped, Metroid Prime 4 was nowhere to be found. Given its scale, polish, and critical excitement, that absence raised a lot of eyebrows — but the reason is actually straightforward: timing.

Metroid Prime 4 launched just after the eligibility window for this year’s awards, meaning it simply wasn’t considered for nomination. It’s a case of bad timing rather than lack of quality — and it’s a reminder of how the awards calendar can sometimes leave major titles in limbo. The good news is that this sets up Metroid Prime 4 perfectly for The Game Awards 2026, where it could easily emerge as one of Nintendo’s biggest contenders.

If anything, this delay might work in the game’s favor. By the time the next awards season rolls around, the Switch 2 will be in full stride, and Metroid Prime 4 will have had months of player feedback, updates, and DLC to strengthen its legacy. Its technical achievements and rich, atmospheric world could resonate even more after a year of word-of-mouth growth. So while Samus may have missed her moment in 2025, all signs point to Metroid Prime 4 being a major force next year — potentially Nintendo’s headline Game of the Year contender in 2026.

As The Game Awards 2025 approach, it’s clear that Nintendo’s impact goes far beyond the number of nominations. Whether it’s the creative spark of Donkey Kong Bananza, the energy of Mario Kart World, or the incredible lineup of third-party hits lighting up the Switch and Switch 2, this year proves that Nintendo’s ecosystem is as vibrant as ever. But now, it’s your turn — which of these games do you think deserves to win? Drop your predictions in the comments, let me know your favorite Nintendo-related nominee, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don’t miss my breakdown of the winners once the show airs.