When I started this site, I wanted to make it clear that creators have to work to achieve every single point. While certain critics hand out 10/10s out like penny candy, you won’t see me use the grade very often. Indeed, my 150-review milestone was notable in that I hadn’t actually awarded any 10/10s. This milestone is strange because it’s the first time in which I actually awarded more 10/10s than 9/10s. Regardless, the reason I tend to be sparing with these grades is because I want to make it clear that when I award them, the recipients are true masterpieces. Here are the games that went the extra mile to achieve that distinction.

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(9/10)

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3. Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Originally reviewed on: September 29, 2019

If Black and White were the games that brought me back into the Pokémon series, Black 2 and White 2 were the games that ensured I was here to stay. When it comes to its story, Black 2 and White 2 had a head start in that the games they followed up featured some of the most beloved plots in the franchise’s history. Based off of that, I can imagine some people dismissing these games as more of the same. Anyone who does that isn’t giving the writers enough credit. One could reasonably argue they lack the impact of their predecessors, but these games stand as excellent sequels that continue to explore the nuanced themes already put in place.

Now, because this is the only 9/10 I’ve awarded between milestones, it’s a little difficult to tell where it resides on the master list (or at least without scrolling down). As of now, I feel this is the Pokémon game that finally managed to surpass Dragon Quest V. Due to relying less on level grinding and having a much greater variety of monsters at your disposal, it manages to edge out that series’ own pinnacle, though it too is an undeniable masterpiece. These games weren’t quite good enough to beat out Peace Walker, but at this point, there are no losers.

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(10/10)

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2. Super Mario Galaxy 2

Originally reviewed on: March 31, 2019

New Super Mario Bros. may have helped certain independent critics form the narrative that Nintendo relies too heavily on nostalgia. Along with the success of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was met with an undue amount of cynicism. I feel bad for anyone who passed it up because they took the words of Yahtzee Croshaw and his ilk at face value because Super Mario Galaxy 2 is easily the greatest game in the franchise. Yes, on the surface, it looks like a token sequel, but actually giving it the time of day reveals that is absolutely not the case. Whereas the original had a few terrible gimmicks holding it back Super Mario Galaxy 2 has much more of a filter, allowing the great ideas to shine while downplaying the bad ideas to the point where they are non-issues. Sure, its story beats aren’t as good, but considering gameplay has always been the series’ bread and butter, this is of minimal concern.

That said, I have to admit I struggled when I came to awarding Super Mario Galaxy 2 a 10/10. Mostly, this boiled down to whether or not I consider it a better game than Breath of the Wild. I didn’t initially think it was, but I ultimately decided to place it ahead of Breath of the Wild because that game can be trivialized. It takes a lot of work, but it can be done. This isn’t the case with Super Mario Galaxy 2; from beginning to end, it will push your platforming skills to their absolute limits, and if you can get all of the 242 Power Stars, give yourself a pat on the back. I still consider that one of my greatest gaming accomplishments.

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1. Persona 4

Originally reviewed on: October 27, 2019

Thanks to the various tags I completed, I ended up tipping my hand several times. This is because in many of them, I mentioned that Persona 4 is my favorite game of all time, which is an assertion I still stand by. Indeed, with my review of Persona 4, it is the end of an era; Majora’s Mask is no longer at the top of the master list, after remaining there for nearly two years. I’m also glad that my longest review to date (18,000+ words) ended up being of one of my 10/10s. Indeed, it’s hard to believe there was a long period of time in which my longest review was of The Last of Us. While it remains my longest negative review, my longest positive review changed quite a number of times within the last year-and-a-half. This is because I generally find it easier to write glowing reviews than disparaging ones.

It’s interesting because, unlike most of the other games I’ve awarded 9/10s or 10/10s, the flaws of Persona 4 are far more obvious. This goes beyond its long length and occasionally unintuitive nature. In a game that has such an emphasis on story, the development that kicks off the endgame is just plain dumb. It comes across as something that resulted from the writers radically changing the story, but forgetting to change the details to reflect it.

“How could such a game possibly get a 10/10?” you may ask. It’s because there is so much goodwill generated from the entire rest of the game that its missteps are ultimately rendered negligible. If you’re tired of the various AAA stories in which its creators laugh at players for having hope, Persona 4 comes across as a refreshing, ahead-of-its-time rebuttal to that zeitgeist with its unapologetic, yet down-to-earth idealism. With its unforgettable cast of characters, intriguing plot, challenging gameplay, and one of the greatest soundtracks in the medium, Persona 4 has a lot to offer anyone willing to see it through to the end.

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And that’s the end of that! Now that I’ve discussed all 50 games I’ve reviewed since the last milestone, here is where they rank on the master list. New entries are bolded.

1. Persona 4
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
3. Undertale
4. Planescape: Torment
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
8. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth – Prosecutor’s Path
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
10. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
11. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
12. OneShot
13. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
14. Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
15. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
16. Metroid Prime
17. Chrono Trigger
18. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
19. Treasure of the Rudras
20. Super Mario Odyssey
21. Marvel’s Spider-Man
22. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
23. Super Mario Galaxy
24. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
25. Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
26. Pokémon Black and White
27. Resident Evil 4
28. Super Metroid
29. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
30. Earthbound
31. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
32. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
33. Final Fantasy V
34. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
35. Super Mario World
36. Super Mario Bros. 3
37. Super Mario 64
38. Shadow of the Colossus
39. Bravely Default
40. Papers, Please
41. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
42. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
43. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
44. BioShock Infinite
45. King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
46. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations
47. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
48. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
49. Final Fantasy VI
50. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
51. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
52. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
53. Live A Live
54. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
55. Far Cry 3
56. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
57. Metroid Fusion
58. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
59. Metal Gear Solid
60. Rakuen
61. Final Fantasy IV
62. Kirby’s Adventure
63. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
64. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
65. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap
66. Monster World IV
67. ActRaiser
68. Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel
69. Super Mario Sunshine
70. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
71. Metroid: Samus Returns
72. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
73. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
74. The Legend of Zelda
75. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
76. BioShock
77. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
78. Breath of Fire II
79. Luigi’s Mansion
80. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice for All
81. Ico
82. Metroid: Zero Mission
83. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
84. Pokémon Gold and Silver
85. Blast Corps
86. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
87. Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter
88. Pilotwings 64
89. Super Widget
90. Super Mario Bros. 2
91. VVVVVV
92. Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
93. Wonder Boy in Monster World
94. King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella
95. Pokémon Red and Blue
96. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
97. New Super Mario Bros.
98. Jumper Two
99. Jumper
100. BioShock 2
101. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
102. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
103. Super Mario Bros.
104. System Shock 2
105. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
106. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
107. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
108. Braid
109. Breath of Fire
110. Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation
111. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
112. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
113. Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished – Omen
114. Far Cry 4
115. Final Fantasy
116. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
117. King’s Quest III: To Heir is Human
118. The Witness
119. Metal Gear
120. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
121. Pilotwings
122. Wonder Boy in Monster Land
123. Earthbound Beginnings
124. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
125. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
126. Laura Bow: The Colonel’s Bequest
127. Mother 3
128. Sin and Punishment
129. King’s Quest: Quest for the Crown
130. Ys IV: Mask of the Sun
131. Lufia & the Fortress of Doom
132. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
133. Super Mario Land
134. Final Fantasy III
135. Ys III: Wanderers from Ys
136. Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
137. Eversion
138. Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
139. X
140. Metroid
141. Metroid II: Return of Samus
142. Wonder Boy
143. Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line
144. Dragon Quest
145. Final Fantasy II
146. The Stanley Parable
147. Spec Ops: The Line
148. The Last of Us
149. King’s Quest VII: The Princeless Bride
150. Kirby’s Dream Land
151. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
152. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
153. Pokémon Stadium 2
154. Beyond: Two Souls
155. Yoshi’s Story
156. Adventures in the Magic Kingdom
157. Limbo
158. Pokémon Stadium
159. Pokémon Snap
160. King’s Quest II: Romancing the Throne
161. Ys V: Kefin, Lost Kingdom of Sand
162. Gone Home
163. King’s Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!
164. Sonic Heroes
165. Shadowgate
166. Aegis Wing
167. The Beginner’s Guide
168. Call of Duty: Ghosts
169. Metroid: Other M
170. Snake’s Revenge
171. Godzilla: Monster of Monsters
172. Sonic the Fighters
173. Sonic R
174. Haze
175. Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures
176. Lester the Unlikely
177. Widget
178. Bokosuka Wars
179. Bubsy II
180. Friday the 13^th (NES)
181. Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind
182. Zombie Nation
183. Quest for Camelot
184. Takeshi’s Challenge
185. Deadly Towers
186. Rise of the Robots
187. Where’s Waldo?
188. Ride to Hell: Retribution
189. Transformers: Mystery of Convoy
190. Anubis II
191. Ninjabread Man
192. Isle of the Dead
193. Super Pitfall
194. Bubsy 3D
195. King’s Knight
196. Ballz
197. Nerves of Steel
198. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
199. Metal Morph
200. Dragon’s Lair (NES)

Unlike last time, there are no major scoring changes to speak of, though I did switch a few games around when I looked over the list before posting it. I’m not sure why I considered Lester the Unlikely better than Pac-Man 2, for example.

When I reviewed 100 films, I revealed the spreadsheet I had been maintaining this entire time. And yes, I did make one for the games I’ve discussed as well. The following sheet details the number of times I’ve awarded each grade along with the decades in which each game originated.

Since then, I wanted to see exactly what the grade distribution was for each decade. I’m generally under the impression that the 2010s is the best decade in gaming thus far, so I wanted to see if that reflected in my reviews. The results were interesting, to say the least.

I wasn’t surprised by how infrequently games from the 1980s passed. As mentioned before, many pioneering games haven’t aged terribly well. When I finally got around to reviewing Super Mario Bros. 3 (the sole 8/10 from that decade thus far), I realized it was the first time since Police Quest that I had actually given a game from the 1980s a positive review.

What I was surprised by was the sheer number of failing grades the 1990s had accumulated. I have reviewed far more 1990s games than 1980s games, yet even if you doubled the number of red-score titles from the 1980s, that decade would still have two fewer fails. Meanwhile, the 1990s may have had far more passing grades, yet this chart indicates that the number of mid-tier experiences decreased between decades. This actually makes sense to me because the 1990s was a time in which developers started taking more chances, yet didn’t have a firm grasp on what does and doesn’t work in this medium. I can therefore believe that the inordinate number of failing grades from the 1990s was the result of experiments blowing up in the creators’ faces.

I have to admit I was also taken aback by the high number of failing grades from the 2010s. Yes, old-school enthusiasts insist we live in a dark age for gaming, yet I was under the impression it was better than the 2000s. Then again, it doesn’t help that one of the years in that decade happened to be 2013. Between Ride to Hell: Retribution and Beyond: Two Souls, it truly was one of the single weakest years in gaming since 1983. Indeed, nearly half of the 2010s’ failing grades spawned from that year alone (including the sole 1/10 so far). For that matter, the period between 2012 and 2014 was a real rough patch for the medium with an inordinate number of heavily promoted games failing to live up to the hype, meeting widespread backlashes, or both.

Seeing the grade distribution for myself, I would actually posit the 2010s has a lot in common with the 1990s; both decades were experimental periods for the medium, and the results didn’t always turn out well. However, unlike the 1990s, I think the cause of the high number of failing grades can be attributed to creators seeking to elevate the medium. The 2010s may have seen creators successfully push the envelope in terms of storytelling with avant-garde works such as Undertale, Papers, Please, or OneShot, but the decade also saw the release of Beyond: Two Souls, Spec Ops: The Line, Limbo, and a treasure trove of walking simulators such as Gone Home and The Beginner’s Guide. Like many 1990s developers, the creators of these games tried to experiment with the medium, though their exact goal was slightly different. Whereas their predecessors usually attempted to experiment with new forms of gameplay, they themselves wanted to tap into the medium’s latent storytelling potential. While many of their peers were successful, their own attempts ended up backfiring – though the results weren’t usually as disasterous as similar occurances from the 1990s.

Regardless, if what I’ve reviewed from the 2000s and 2010s is any indication, it reinforces what I’ve been proposing for a while. The 1990s may have had a larger volume of good games, yet the best games of the last two decades tend to outshine efforts of the medium’s supposed golden age. It’s worth noting that the sole 1990s 10/10, Planescape: Torment, came at the tail-end of the decade. The 2010s may have a lower average than the 2000s, but once it regained its footing, it has been solid.

It’ll be great to finally review games from the 2020s, but we have one-and-a-half months left in this year. Most of the reviews I promised in my last update post have actually been scheduled already, so you have those to look forward to. Once again, I thank you all for your continued support!