Mina the Hollower Is 2026's Highest-Rated Game So Far

What Is Mina the Hollower and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

Mina the Hollower is a top-down action-adventure game developed and published by Yacht Club Games — the studio behind the beloved Shovel Knight series. Released on May 29, 2026, across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, and Linux, the game represents the studio's most ambitious original project since their debut.

The game stars Mina, a genius inventor and mouse who wields a whip called the Nightstar and can burrow underground — a mechanic that grants her brief invincibility while traversing gaps and tight spots. Built with an 8-bit Game Boy Color aesthetic, Mina the Hollower fuses classic pixel-art visuals with modern 60fps action combat and a rich, explorable world.

The game had been in development for several years, drumming up anticipation from fans of Shovel Knight and retro-style indie adventures alike. Now that it has finally arrived, the response from critics has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Why Is Mina the Hollower Topping Metacritic's 2026 Charts?

Mina the Hollower launched with a Metacritic score of 93 — making it the highest-rated game of 2026 so far, surpassing Forza Horizon 6's score of 91. According to Inven Global, nearly a third of all critic reviews awarded the game a perfect score, with 11 perfect 10s among the 38 reviews counted at launch.

Kotaku describes it as a Zelda-like adventure that brings "a familiar sense of adventure, but with a spirit and character all its own." Eurogamer calls it "an 8-bit world of complex wonder," praising the depth hidden beneath its retro exterior. Destructoid and GamesRadar both report that the game instantly claimed the top spot on Metacritic for the year. Push Square confirmed the game earned "universal acclaim" from day one.

Critics have pointed to several standouts: the Hollowing mechanic that lets Mina phase underground, the deliberate and satisfying whip-based combat, and a world that rewards exploration without holding the player's hand. The Shovel Knight comparison is inevitable — Yacht Club Games built their reputation on delivering premium-quality retro experiences — but reviewers agree Mina the Hollower carves out its own distinct identity.

What Platforms Is Mina the Hollower On and Should You Buy It?

Mina the Hollower is available now on PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, and Linux. As reported by Pure Xbox, the Xbox version also launched this week alongside the other platforms, meaning no platform is left waiting. The game is available for purchase directly through Steam and the respective console stores.

If you are a fan of Shovel Knight, classic Zelda-style adventures, or finely crafted 8-bit indie games, Mina the Hollower is a near-unanimous recommendation from critics. With a 93 on Metacritic and universal acclaim across publications, this is shaping up to be one of the year's most essential games — and a strong Game of the Year contender before we've even reached summer.