The best games of 2025 so far, picked by NPR’s staff
2025 finally brought the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 and blockbuster exclusives like Mario Kart World. But the year has also seen a parade of indie breakouts, from Blue Prince to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Meanwhile, the video game industry lurched from massive strikes to landmark labor deals to deep layoffs.
NPR staff and contributors have explored the breadth of the gaming year, from long-awaited sequels like Death Stranding 2 and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves to imaginative tabletop games like Molly House and Daggerheart. Whether you’re looking for a short diversion or an epic 50-hour adventure, we invite you to discover your next favorite game on this interactive list.
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‘Why does my toddler … ?’ Your kiddo’s most confounding behavior, decoded
Why does my toddler say "no" to everything? Say everything is "mine"? Want to crash into everything? Child development experts unpack common toddler behaviors and offer advice on how parents can cope.
‘It Was Just an Accident’ is a blast of pure anti-authoritarian rage
Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been arrested repeatedly in his home country. His shockingly funny new revenge thriller was informed by the stories of people he met in prison.
Effort to pay at least some federal workers fails in Senate
The Senate failed to advance two partisan bills that would have paid some federal workers during the shutdown. Democrats and Republicans remain deadlocked as the shutdown drags on.
How presidents have changed the White House — and how Trump’s ballroom is different
President Trump is demolishing the East Wing to make room for a ballroom. His administration says he's continuing a presidential legacy of White House renovations, but this is the biggest in decades.
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro says ‘I’d rather die’ than use generative AI
Del Toro's new Frankenstein adaption reimagines Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel. Frankenstein was like a tech bro: "creating something without considering the consequences," he explains.
Democrats invited Republicans to a town hall. Here’s what happened
Imagine getting an invitation to a town hall from someone across the political aisle. That was the idea behind a recent event sponsored by the Calhoun County Democratic Committee. They asked their members to invite Republican friends in an effort to bridge the divide.
