Famitsu scores

The Japanese video game magazine Famitsu reviews video games by having four critics each assign the game a score from 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest score. The scores of are then added together for a maximum possible score of 40. As of 2024^[update], thirty games have received perfect scores from Famitsu.

Famitsu was first published in 1986, and gave its first perfect score in 1998 to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, released by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Nintendo is the publisher with the highest number of perfect scoring games with ten total, followed by Square Enix with five, Sega with four and Konami with three. Nintendo is additionally the developer with the highest number of perfect scoring games with eight total, followed by Kojima Productions and Square Enix with four each. The console with the highest number of perfect-scoring games is the PlayStation 3, with seven total. Four of the perfect-scoring games on PlayStation 3 were also released on the Xbox 360, which is tied with the Wii for the second-highest number of perfect scores at five total. Video game franchises with multiple perfect scoring games include The Legend of Zelda with five, Metal Gear with three, and both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy with two. Of the games to receive perfect scores, only three were either published and/or developed by a non-Japanese company – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto V, and Ghost of Tsushima.

As of January 2024^[update], thirty games have received perfect scores from Famitsu.

As of 2025^[update], fifty-four games have received a near-perfect score of 39.

The lowest score ever given out by Famitsu is 12 points out of 40. Only three games have received this score: Shura no Mon (Kodansha, PlayStation, 1998), Pachinko CR Daiku no Minamoto-San GB (Telenet Japan, Game Boy, 1998), and Pro Golfer Saru (Namco Bandai Games, Wii, 2008). Additionally, few games have received under 15 points; among the more recent of these are Ookuki (Global A Entertainment, PlayStation 2, 2008) receiving 13, and Appleseed EX (Sega, PlayStation 2, 2007), Beijing 2008 (Sega, PlayStation 3, 2008), and Galaxy Blaster (RCMADIAX, Nintendo 3DS, 2017) receiving 14.

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.

Prior to the formal establishment of the Famitsu Awards ceremony, Famitsu had been publishing annual lists of "Best Hit Game Awards" since early 1987 (for games released in 1986). The following titles were "Game of the Year" winners in the "Best Hit Game Awards" (between 1986 and 2004) and the Famitsu Awards (from 2005 onwards).

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