The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch, 2023)

At the time of writing, Tears of the Kingdom hasn’t even been out for a week, and already it’s becoming one of my favorite graphical treats of the generation. Some of that certainly has to do with the stunning feat of technical engineering that must’ve gone into making this thing run so well on the Nintendo Switch, aged hardware which dates all the way back to 2017. But it’s also a testament to rock-solid art design that conveys a sense of wonder and fantasy, rich use of color, and environments bursting with life and motion.

Whether it’s the epic draw distance, the gorgeous glow of sunlight, beautiful particle effects when using abilities like Ascend, or water that damn near looks lifelike with satisfying natural ripples across the surface, Tears of the Kingdom is simply a delight to just roam about, accomplishing little but taking in the sights.

Read More: Try Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Without the Minimap, It Makes The Game Better

Hyrule is filled with distant birds flying in formation, mist and clouds floating through the air, grass blowing in the breeze. And though the framerate does dip when you’re up to funny business with some logs, overall performance is stable and reliable. Tears of the Kingdom is a wondrous achievement of software mastery. — Claire Jackson

So, those are our takes! Hopefully some resonated with you. So, what games’ graphics have really blown you away over the years?