Renowned Japanese video game magazine, Famitsu, which has been in print for an astonishing 37 years, reviews games based on independent scores from four separate critics. Each of these critics assigns a score out of 10 to the game they review, and the total of these four scores, out of a possible 40, is published. This unique “Cross-Review” method employed by the magazine is well-known and highly valued, making entry into Famitsu Perfect Scores list a truly noteworthy achievement. In this article, we’ll detail each game on this prestigious list and discuss the special awards issued by the magazine.
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Every Game on the Famitsu Perfect Scores List
Just twenty-eight games have earned a place on Famitsu Perfect Scores list. This takes into account every issue published since its inception in 1986. It means that over 37 years, only 28 games have achieved top marks from Famitsu.
The developer that has garnered the most perfect scores is none other than Nintendo. Close on their heels are Kojima Productions and Square Enix. This suggests a slight geographical bias, with the magazine often awarding full marks to developers within the Far East.
Here’s a complete list of all the games that have made it onto Famitsu Perfect Scores list:
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — 1998 — Nintendo
- Soulcalibur — 1999 — Project Soul
- Vagrant Story — 2000 — Square Enix
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker — 2003 — Nintendo
- Nintendogs — 2005 — Nintendo
- Final Fantasy 12 — 2006 — Square Enix
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl — 2008 — Sora Ltd and Nintendo
- MGS4: Guns of the Patriots — 2008 — Kojima Productions
- 428: Shibuya Scramble — 2008 — Chunsoft
- Dragon Quest 9 — 2009 — Level-5 and Square Enix
- Monster Hunter Tri — 2009 — Capcom
- Bayonetta — 2009 — PlatinumGames
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii — 2009 — Nintendo
- MGS: Peace Walker — 2010 — Kojima Productions
- Pokemon Black and White — 2010 — Game Freak
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword — 2011 — Nintendo
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim — 2011 — Bethesda
- Final Fantasy 13-2 — 2011 — Square Enix
- Kid Icarus: Uprising — 2012 — Sora Ltd and Project Sora
- Yakuza 5 — 2012 — Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle — 2013 — Cyberconnect2
- Grand Theft Auto 5 — 2013 — Rockstar Games
- MGS5: The Phantom Pain — 2015 — Kojima Productions
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — 2017 — Nintendo
- Dragon Quest 11 — 2017 — Square Enix
- Death Stranding — 2019 — Kojima Productions
- Ghost of Tsushima — 2020 — Sucker Punch
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — 2023 — Nintendo
- Street Fighter 6 — 2023 — Capcom
Famitsu Near-Perfect Scores
There may be certain games whose absence from the above list might catch you off guard. One such prominent example is Elden Ring, which surprisingly didn’t make it to the list. Despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest RPG games of all time, Elden Ring only achieved a score of 39 from Famitsu, narrowly missing the perfect score.
Similarly, other critically acclaimed titles such as The Last of Us Part 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Persona 5, Okami, and Kingdom Hearts 2, didn’t secure top marks.
In fact, over the course of 37 years, a total of 52 games have achieved Famitsu near-perfect scores. Given the length of this list, we cannot include every title here, but if you’re curious, you can check the complete list on Wikipedia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Famitsu Owned by Nintendo?
No, Famitsu isn’t owned by Nintendo. Initially known as Famicom Tsūshin, Famitsu is owned by the Kadokawa Corporation. Kadokawa is one of Japan’s biggest media companies, holding ownership over dozens of magazines, newspapers, and film studios. Moreover, the company has investments in various foreign countries, notably Hong Kong and China.
Is Famitsu Awarding Game of the Year?
Since 2005, Famitsu has been consistently awarding the Game of the Year title. A game doesn’t necessarily need to feature on the Famitsu Perfect Scores list to receive this accolade. One significant instance of this is Elden Ring, which was awarded Game of the Year in 2002 despite scoring 39 points. A notable winner was Splatoon in 2015 when heavy-hitters such as The Witcher 3 and Bloodborne were also released.
What Does Famitsu 40 Mean?
The term “Famitsu 40” refers to the Famitsu Perfect Scores. This popular magazine has been in circulation for many years, and its review scores are the aggregate of scores given by four separate critics, each rating out of 10. Therefore, the highest score a game can achieve is 40, signalling perfection. In total, only 28 games have managed to secure a spot in the coveted Famitsu 40.
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