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.
Title | Release | System | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | 1998 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | [1] |
Soulcalibur | 1999 | Dreamcast | Namco | [2] |
Vagrant Story | 2000 | PlayStation | Square Co. | [2] |
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | 2003 | GameCube | Nintendo | [2] |
Nintendogs | 2005 | Nintendo DS | Nintendo | [2] |
Final Fantasy XII | 2006 | PlayStation 2 | Square Enix | [2] |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl | 2008 | Wii | Nintendo | [3] |
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | 2008 | PlayStation 3 | Konami | [4] |
428: Shibuya Scramble | 2008 | Wii | Sega | [5] |
Dragon Quest IX | 2009 | Nintendo DS | Square Enix | [6] |
Monster Hunter Tri | 2009 | Wii | Capcom | [7] |
Bayonetta | 2009 | Xbox 360 | Sega/PlatinumGames | [8] |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii | 2009 | Wii | Nintendo | [9] |
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | 2010 | PlayStation Portable | Konami | [10] |
Pokémon Black and White | 2010 | Nintendo DS | Nintendo | [11] |
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | 2011 | Wii | Nintendo | [12] |
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | 2011 | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | Bethesda Softworks | The first western developed game to receive a perfect score.[13] |
Final Fantasy XIII-2 | 2011 | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | Square Enix | [14] |
Kid Icarus: Uprising | 2012 | Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo | [15] |
Yakuza 5 | 2012 | PlayStation 3 | Sega | [16] |
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle | 2013 | PlayStation 3 | Namco-Bandai | [17] |
Grand Theft Auto V | 2013 | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | Rockstar Games | The second western developed game to get a perfect score, after Skyrim.[18] |
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain | 2015 | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | Konami | [19] |
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 2017 | Wii U, Nintendo Switch | Nintendo | [20] |
Dragon Quest XI | 2017 | Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4 | Square 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.
Ceremony | Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | 1990 | Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen | Famicom | [56] |
2004 | Monster Hunter | PS2 | ||
1st | 2005 | Kingdom Hearts II | PS2 | [57] |
Resident Evil 4 | GCN / PS2 | |||
2nd | 2006 | Final Fantasy XII | PS2 | [58] |
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl | NDS | |||
3rd | 2007 | Monster Hunter Portable 2nd | PSP | [59] |
Super Mario Galaxy | Wii | |||
4th | 2008 | Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G | PSP | [60] |
5th | 2009 | Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies | NDS | [61] |
6th | 2010 | Monster Hunter Portable 3rd | PSP | [62] |
7th | 2011 | Monster Hunter 3G | 3DS | [63] |
8th | 2012 | Animal Crossing: New Leaf | 3DS | [64] |
9th | 2013 | Monster Hunter 4 | 3DS | [65] |
10th | 2014 | Yo-kai Watch 2 | 3DS | [66] |
12th | 2015 | Splatoon | Wii U | [67] |
13th | 2016 | Pokémon Sun and Moon | 3DS | |
14th | 2017 | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Wii U / Switch | [68] |
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age | 3DS / PS4 | |||
15th | 2018 | Monster Hunter: World | PS4 / Xbox One / PC | [69] |
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Switch |
Readers' 100 all-time favorite games
In March 2006, Famitsu readers voted for their 100 all-time favorite games.[70]