Nintendo Switch’s Best-Reviewed Game by Users Is Surprising

When you think of the Nintendo Switch’s best-reviewed games, you probably picture The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, or Metroid Dread. You know, the usual suspects that have defined the console for almost a decade. So, it’s kind of wild to look at the Metacritic charts and realize that the game with the highest user score on the entire platform isn’t even made by Nintendo. It’s Sonic X Shadow Generations, sitting at a massive 9.4. Yeah, Sonic. On a Nintendo console.

Let that sink in for a second. On the same system where Zelda, Mario, and Pokémon live, the blue blur has somehow outrun every single one of them in user reviews. According to Metacritic’s rankings, Sonic X Shadow Generations tops all other Switch games in user score, even above heavyweights like Deltarune, Hollow Knight, and Pikmin 4. That’s not just unexpected. It’s straight-up surreal. For decades, Sonic’s reputation has bounced between “iconic mascot” and “franchise that just can’t get it right.” But now, on Nintendo’s home turf, he’s the king of the hill over giants that, you’d think, would dethrone him.

A Redemption Arc No One Saw Coming

If you’ve been following Sonic’s history, this feels like a full-blown redemption story. The series has had its ups and downs. Some games were decent, others… well, you know. But Sonic X Shadow Generations seems to have finally cracked the code on what people want from this franchise. It’s a remaster of 2011’s Sonic Generations, but it’s not just a shiny coat of paint. Sega actually went back, fixed a lot of the rough edges, and added a whole new campaign centered on Shadow the Hedgehog. Sega went the extra mile and was paid for their due diligence: a top score on a competitor’s console.

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Sonic x Shadow Generations Is Already Seeing Big Success

As it turns out, that new content has turned out to be the real star of the show. Fans have been all over it, praising the fast, fluid gameplay and how it balances classic and modern Sonic styles. The Shadow campaign especially has people talking, adding a surprisingly emotional layer to a series better known for speed than attitude. It gives Shadow more depth than he’s had in years, and that alone seems to have hit home with longtime players. The levels pop with color, the soundtrack hits hard, and the controls finally feel as smooth as they should. For once, it feels like everything about a Sonic game just… works.

And maybe that’s what makes this so special. This isn’t some brand-new experimental take like Sonic Frontiers, or another attempt to reinvent the wheel. Sonic X Shadow Generations knows exactly what it is, and it delivers. It’s confident. It’s fun. It’s fast. Fans are impressed with it to the point of making it the top-rated Switch game ever by user score. That’s not just nostalgia talking; that’s genuine love for a game that finally got things right.

Outspeeding Nintendo’s Own Legends

It’s honestly kind of hilarious when you think about it. On a console overflowing with beloved Nintendo exclusives, it’s Sonic, the same Sonic who used to be Nintendo’s biggest rival, that’s come out on top. Right under him on the Metacritic list are Deltarune: Chapter 2, Hollow Knight, and Pikmin 4, all sitting at a 9.0. These are games people adore. Yet here’s Sonic, casually running past them with a grin, as if to say, “Still got it.”

That’s what makes this whole situation so wild. Back in the ‘90s, you were either Team Sega or Team Nintendo. That rivalry was fierce. Sonic was the cool rebel mascot, while Mario was the family-friendly face of gaming. Entire playground debates were built around which console was better, and the thought of Sonic appearing on a Nintendo system was completely unthinkable. Fast forward to now, and not only is Sonic thriving on a Nintendo console, he’s topping Nintendo’s own icons in fan reviews. It’s like if Pepsi suddenly started outselling Coke inside Coke’s own vending machines. Crazy stuff.

And with the Switch nearing the end of its life and the next Nintendo console on the horizon, it almost feels symbolic. Sonic, once the rival mascot who fought against Nintendo’s empire, is now the one closing out the era on a high note. It’s the kind of twist no one saw coming, and maybe that’s what makes it so great. The blue blur didn’t just make a comeback: he did it on Nintendo’s turf, and that’s the ultimate plot twist of this narrative.

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