However you feel about Metacritic's methods and impact, it's hard to deny the statistics it generates can make for some interesting reading. With the first six months of 2010 now behind us, the site has released its midyear report, showing how each console stacks up against the opposition.
Quality titles see the DS top the list of consoles: with 30 games netting the seven reviews needed to qualify, 60% of those received a Metascore between 75 and 90%, though no titles scored above 90%. With median scores of 75% for both platform exclusives and multiformat titles, the DS is level-pegging with the PlayStation 3 in that regard, but just emerges on top due to not having received a single game with an average score below 50%.
The Wii hasn't had a bad year so far either, nestling in at fourth place above the Xbox 360 and PSP. With 44 games hitting the seven review mark, 45% of those sit in the "good" range, with just one game achieving a Metascore over 90% – no prizes for guessing the game. In fact, according to Metacritic's figures Super Mario Galaxy 2 is also the second best-selling game of the year so far, just behind Sony's Grecian sequel God of War III.
Plenty of top titles are on the way for both consoles before 2010 is out. Wii is set to welcome back favourite characters in Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Metroid: Other M, among others, with DS getting a wealth of quality RPGs including Golden Sun Dark Dawn, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies and Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.
How do you feel Nintendo's machines have fared in 2010 so far?
[source features.metacritic.com]
Comments 28
Samurai Warriors 3 was released this year... frankly, that's all I need.
I believe Nintendo will once again prove to all the haters out there. They are in it to win it. And have lots of solid titles still to come out. Nintendo will stay on top.
Not surprised. The DS is pound for pound the best console out there and could be the best console ever in that regard.
The Wii's top tier games are second to none for me, but they need to do something about those awful, cheap, cash ins at the bottom end of the qulaity spectrum. Quality control please
You have to take into account that a lot of bad games don't even get a metascore due to there not being enough reviews. I believe if such games had more reviews the percentage of bad games would be a lot higher.
Personally I think Sin & Punishment 2 deserves a better score than Mario Galaxy 2. Its a good game but after I finished it to me it really feels like an expansion pack.
Regarding DS scores, the report doesn't mention Spectral Force Genesis which has a bad score of 45 (http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/spectralforcegenesis).
"Personally I think Sin & Punishment 2 deserves a better score than Mario Galaxy 2."
@Kevin Your completely insane.
@Mika That game's only received six critic reviews, with seven required to make this report
Shovelware or even those that look like it could be, don't get reviews. Also fewer critics bother to review a number of titles on Nintendo platforms so that means if only four people like a certain product, it's not as reliable an average as a high-end game that gets around 50 reviews. It's not any kind of majority opinion.
@Tails Haters will still be haters...
2010 is Nintendo's Year
We got:
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Donkey Kong Country:Returns
Metroid Other M
Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Five Big Nintendo Names in one Year.....Now that Playing with Power
Well, chalk up that upcoming DS Final Fantasy game to be one of the bad games because that looks just flat out terrible compared to every other RPG coming out on any system this year (especially when compared to DQIX, EOIII, and Ys 7).
Like others have said, this is misleading. There have been several crap DS titles out this year, but they haven't been reviewed enough to appear on Metacritic. The DS has plenty of good titles, but along with the Wii it also sees the largest amount of shovelware and licensed crap.
@JumpMad Don't forget No More Heroes 2, Sin & Punishment 2, NBA Jam, Red Steel 2, Epic Mickey, GoldenEye, Xenoblade and all the rest.
I think Nintendo put too much fuel in their steamroller, they're flattening everyone!
The metacritic review for games would be worst if a lot of the shovelware was counted. The other systems games pretty much all get reviewed. Wii and ds games not so much. So if they were reviewed this article would have to go the other way. But there are still good games reviewed and coming out though.
Great news. That means 2010 is the year of Nintendo!
@Junpmad- Skward Sword is coming out in 2011, nice new avi. by the way.
okay but by x-mas time im going to be poor
Don't forget Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver to add to Nintendo owning this year
@WaltzElf
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/samuraiwarriors3
Samurai Warriors 3 is a decidely average game.
@Koto LOL!
I knew it! I so knew that this was going to be nintendo's year, from the very start of the year I predicted it and I also predict that kinnect and ps move will suck.
this is why nintendo-platforms are number 1 in terms of core gaming to me, although i also do own 360 and ps3:
"i don't want to play the most games, but the best games"
(nintendo=quality <-> 360+ps3=quantity... but i like my ps3 for watching movies ^^)
@ Kevin... though I respect your opinion, that sounds like sheer lunacy. S&P2 is superb, but at the end of the day is an isolationist game as it focuses squarely at the hardcore.
Super Mario Galaxy is an epic experience is an all time great up there with Ocarina IMHO (and in many others as metacritic shows).
@Faildude....u could say that for a fair few PS2, PS3 annd xbox games, you need to go back and look at your research dude. There are also a fair few wii and ds games that don't get enough reviews for a metacritic rating too....
Wow SMG2 with a whopping score of 98%. Now I really have to buy it.
SMG2 will easily hit 10 million+ lifetime. It's just that awesome of a game.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii just hit 15.05 million. That title is on it's way to 21 million+ lifetime.
It's what we've been saying all along; strip out the shovelware and both the DS and the Wii have a top quality games line-up, with most of the best games for both being platform exclusives.
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