The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom leads Metacritic’s 2023 rankings
In a year crowded with influential titles, Nintendo Switch exclusive The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom soared to the top of Metacritic, finishing 2023 as the highest rated game on the platform based on aggregated review scores from critics and journalists. The game earned a stellar 96 out of 100, a mark that outpaced all other releases on the calendar year and highlighted the exceptional reception it received from gaming press and fans alike.
Trailing closely behind at 94 out of 100 is Metroid Prime Remastered, another Nintendo Switch exclusive that reimagines a beloved classic for modern audiences. This score places it firmly in the conversation for year end honors and reinforces Nintendo’s strong performance across its catalog of remasters and original titles. Also matching that strong showing is the next generation version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which demonstrates how updates and enhanced editions can resonate just as powerfully with contemporary players as brand new experiences.
Rounding out the top three is a pair of well-regarded remakes, Tetris Effect Connected and Resident Evil 4, both achieving 93 out of 100. These scores reflect broad critical acclaim for how well classic game design can be updated while preserving the core experience that long time players cherish. Collectively, these scores illustrate a year where remasters and refined reimaginings shared the stage with newly released adventures, underscoring the value critics place on both innovation and faithful preservation of beloved games.
The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is presented as a direct sequel to 2017s landmark The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. The narrative follows a new chapter in the fictional kingdom of Hyrule, focusing on the adventures of Link, the courageous knight, and Princess Zelda as they confront fresh trials and upheavals that threaten their world. The story structure builds on the open world exploration and puzzle solving that defined the prior title, while expanding on the lore and the scale of Hyrule itself. Players step into a landscape that blends soaring skies with expansive ground-level regions, inviting exploration and experimentation in both combat and discovery.
Released on May 12, 2023, Tears of the Kingdom remains a Nintendo Switch exclusive in its official distribution. The game’s platform specificity emphasizes Nintendo’s continued reliance on its own hardware to deliver a tightly integrated experience, audience, and ecosystem. This strategy has contributed to a strong, loyal fan base and a robust catalog that continues to draw new players while satisfying longtime enthusiasts who have followed the series across generations.
Historically, the Zelda series has earned widespread critical acclaim across multiple outlets. In a separate marquee recognition, Breath of the Wild has appeared near the top of GQ magazine’s list of the 100 greatest video games of all time, reflecting the enduring impact the franchise has had on modern gaming culture and design philosophy. This broader recognition underscores Zelda’s influence beyond initial releases and into the broader conversation about what makes a game memorable, influential, and enduring for players around the world.