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Famitsū scores

Famitsū scores

The Japanese video game magazine Famitsū assigns scores to video games by having four reviewers each give a score from 0 to 10 (with ten indicating the best game). The scores of the four reviewers are then added up for a maximum possible score of 40. From the twenty two games awarded with a perfect score as of 2016, three are for the Nintendo DS and five are for the Wii. The PlayStation 3 also has five games with a perfect score and the Xbox 360 has four, with both consoles having two titles in common. The others are for different platforms with only one title each. Franchises with multiple perfect score winners include The Legend of Zelda with four, Metal Gear with three, followed by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy with two.

As of 2016, every game but two with a perfect score are from a Japanese company, eight of them being published/developed by Nintendo, four by Square Enix, three by Sega, three by Konami, two by Namco and one by Capcom. As of 2016, the only two completely foreign games to achieve a perfect score are The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Bethesda Softworks and Grand Theft Auto V, from Rockstar Games. Other foreign games that have achieved near-perfect scores are Grand Theft Auto IV, Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire and Red Dead Redemption 2 – all four of which came from Rockstar Games; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – all from Activision, although published by Square Enix in Japan; Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, from Naughty Dog; and Gears of War 3 from Epic Games. (Kingdom Hearts II is a joint effort between Square Enix and the U.S.-based Buena Vista Games.)

Perfect review scores

As of 2017, twenty-five games have received perfect scores from Famitsu.

Perfect *Famitsu* Cross Review scores (chronological)
TitleReleaseSystemProducerNotes
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time1998Nintendo 64Nintendo[1]
Soulcalibur1999DreamcastNamco[2]
Vagrant Story2000PlayStationSquare Co.[2]
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker2003GameCubeNintendo[2]
Nintendogs2005Nintendo DSNintendo[2]
Final Fantasy XII2006PlayStation 2Square Enix[2]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl2008WiiNintendo[3]
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots2008PlayStation 3Konami[4]
428: Shibuya Scramble2008WiiSega[5]
Dragon Quest IX2009Nintendo DSSquare Enix[6]
Monster Hunter Tri2009WiiCapcom[7]
Bayonetta2009Xbox 360Sega/PlatinumGames[8]
New Super Mario Bros. Wii2009WiiNintendo[9]
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker2010PlayStation PortableKonami[10]
Pokémon Black and White2010Nintendo DSNintendo[11]
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword2011WiiNintendo[12]
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim2011Xbox 360, PlayStation 3Bethesda SoftworksThe first western developed game to receive a perfect score.[13]
Final Fantasy XIII-22011Xbox 360, PlayStation 3Square Enix[14]
Kid Icarus: Uprising2012Nintendo 3DSNintendo[15]
Yakuza 52012PlayStation 3Sega[16]
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle2013PlayStation 3Namco-Bandai[17]
Grand Theft Auto V2013Xbox 360, PlayStation 3Rockstar GamesThe second western developed game to get a perfect score, after Skyrim.[18]
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain2015Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox OneKonami[19]
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild2017Wii U, Nintendo SwitchNintendo[20]
Dragon Quest XI2017Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4Square Enix[21]

Nearly perfect review scores

As of 2019, forty-nine games received a near-perfect score of 39 (in which one of four reviewers gives the game a "9" while the other three give "10s").

Famitsu Awards

Famitsu administers the Famitsu awards. Video games receive a number of different awards in categories like Innovation, Biggest Hit, Rookie Award, Highest Quality, etc. One or two "Game of the Year" awards are granted as the top prize. Top prize winners are determined by a combination of critical and fan review scores as well as sales figures. They also give an "Excellence Prize" to other games that don't receive the top prize.

*Famitsu* Game of the Year winners
CeremonyYearTitlePlatform(s)Ref
N/A1990Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the ChosenFamicom[56]
2004Monster HunterPS2
1st2005Kingdom Hearts IIPS2[57]
Resident Evil 4GCN / PS2
2nd2006Final Fantasy XIIPS2[58]
Pokémon Diamond and PearlNDS
3rd2007Monster Hunter Portable 2ndPSP[59]
Super Mario GalaxyWii
4th2008Monster Hunter Portable 2nd GPSP[60]
5th2009Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry SkiesNDS[61]
6th2010Monster Hunter Portable 3rdPSP[62]
7th2011Monster Hunter 3G3DS[63]
8th2012Animal Crossing: New Leaf3DS[64]
9th2013Monster Hunter 43DS[65]
10th2014Yo-kai Watch 23DS[66]
12th2015SplatoonWii U[67]
13th2016Pokémon Sun and Moon3DS
14th2017The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildWii U / Switch[68]
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age3DS / PS4
15th2018Monster Hunter: WorldPS4 / Xbox One / PC[69]
Super Smash Bros. UltimateSwitch

Readers' 100 all-time favorite games

In March 2006, Famitsu readers voted for their 100 all-time favorite games.[70]

References

[1]
Citation Linkign64.ign.com"Zelda Receives Highest Ever Famitsu Score". IGN. 1998-11-13. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
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[2]
Citation Link1up.comLumb, Jonathan (2006-03-08). "FF XII Scores Perfect In Famitsu". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2006-08-13. Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help)
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[3]
Citation Linkwww.1up.comGray, Brian (2008-01-16). "Famitsu Gives Smash Bros. Brawl a Perfect Score". 1up.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2008-04-27. Cite uses deprecated parameter |dead-url= (help)
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[4]
Citation Linkps3.kombo.comNg, Keane (2008-06-04). "MGS4 Scores a Perfect 40/40 in Famitsu". Kombo.com. Archived from the original on 2009-09-12. Retrieved 2010-09-08. Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help)
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[5]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.org"New Games Cross Review". Weekly Famitsu (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Enterbrain, Inc.: 25 2008-11-26.
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[6]
Citation Linkwww.joystiq.comFletcher, JC (2009-07-15). "Famitsu hands Dragon Quest IX a 40". Joystiq. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
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[7]
Citation Linkwww.1up.comGifford, Kevin (2009-08-05). "Japan Review Check: Monster Hunter Tri". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2010-09-08. Cite uses deprecated parameter |dead-url= (help)
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[8]
Citation Linkwww.1up.comBailey, Kat (2009-10-20). "Famitsu Awards Xbox 360's Bayonetta Perfect Score". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2010-09-08. Cite uses deprecated parameter |dead-url= (help)
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[9]
Citation Linkwii.nintendolife.comMcFerran, Damien (2009-11-24). "New Super Mario Bros. Wii Gets Perfect Score in Famitsu". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
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[10]
Citation Linkpsp.ign.comGantayat, Anoop (2010-04-10). "Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Deemed Perfect by Famitsu". IGN. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
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[11]
Citation Linkwww.escapistmagazine.comFunk, John (2010-09-08). "Pokémon Black and White Grab Rare Perfect Score from Famitsu". The Escapist. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
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[12]
Citation Linkgematsu.comRomano, Sal (2011-11-15). "Zelda: Skyward Sword scored perfect in Famitsu". Gematsu. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
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[13]
Citation Linkandriasang.comGantayat, Anoop (2011-11-29). "Ninja Gaiden 3 and Sumioni Dates, Perfect Score for Elder Scrolls, and More From Famitsu". Andriasang. Retrieved 2011-11-29.
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[14]
Citation Linkandriasang.comGantayat, Anoop (2011-12-07). "Famitsu Rates Final Fantasy XIII-2 Perfect, Monster Hunter 3G Almost Perfect". Andriasang. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
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[15]
Citation Linkgamingeverything.comValay (2012-03-13). "Famitsu review scores (3/13/12) – perfect score included". Gaming Everything. Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. Retrieved 2012-03-13. Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help)
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[16]
Citation Linkgematsu.comSal Romano (2012-03-13). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1251". Gematsu. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
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[17]
Citation Linkgematsu.com"Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1284". Gematsu. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
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[18]
Citation Linkgematsu.com"Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1296". Gematsu. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
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[19]
Citation Linknintendoeverything.comhttp://nintendoeverything.com/famitsu-review-scores-82515/
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[20]
Citation Linknintendoeverything.comhttp://nintendoeverything.com/famitsu-review-scores-3117-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-awarded-perfect-score/
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