2025 has been the year of handheld gaming for me. I haven't touched my Xbox Series X for a full year now and I can't say I miss it. The portability and convenience of the Steam Deck has completely won me over. Being able to play games anywhere, any time, in short burts or longer sessions has been a game changer for rekindling my love for gaming.
Because of the release of some incredible games on Switch 2 I also picked up playing on that again. In fact, over the past few weeks I didn't touch my Steam Deck at all because I was so invested in the Switch 2, especially during the holidays when I was off work and could really dive in.
One of the biggest Switch 2 releases and my personaly GOTY for 2025 is Donkey Kong Bananza. I haven't yet finished the game because I'm having an absolute blast (pun intended) clearing all the stages and collecting all the bananas and treasure chests. For some, the game becomes quite repetitive after a while, but I find the level design and music to be so charming that I don't mind at all. DK Bananza has found a perfect feel that makes playing it a joy. The controls are tight, the levels are varied and interesting, the world is colorful and vibrant.
I remember playing Destiny 2 which also had flaws because it's the defintion of a grindy game, but I still loved playing it because it had really good "gunplay"; the feel of shooting the guns and getting feedback was very satisfying. DK Bananza has that same quality but in a platformer. Everything you break, every enemy you stomp, every rock you throw feels powerful. It's a game that understands the importance of feel in gameplay and I love that about it.
YouTube taught me that no GOTY list is complete without honorable mentions so I want to quickly call out Risk of Rain 2 for being an incredible roguelike that keeps on gettting better, and Kingdom Two Crowns for being a relaxing game that does pose a challenge later on.
Over the holiday break we introduced our 5 year old daughter to gaming through Yoshi's Crafted World (an older game, but one that's easy for newcomers) on Switch 2 and while she didn't quite get the hang of the controls and what she needed to do at first, she's slowly getting there and we're having a great time playing in co-op together.
It's so great to be able to get some time together and bond over video games and I hope going into 2026 we get to do more of that. Not because I want her to waste away countless hours in front of a screen, but because it's a good way to connect and have shared experiences.