PC games

90+ Games by Year

(2007 - 2012) 2012 Avg. Metascore 70.3 PC Games vs. 2011 Avg. 70.0

A total of 114 computer games received positive reviews from critics last year, the highest figure for any gaming platform in 2012, an an increase by 13 compared to the total of green-scoring PC games released in 2011.

That improvement was at the lower end of the green score scale, however, as only four PC games achieved a 90 or higher in 2012 (or three, if you include only those games with at least seven reviews), matching the lowest yearly total of "great" PC games in the last six years. Just one of those great titles this year was exclusive to computer gaming: the MMORPG sequel Guild Wars 2, which emerged from a five-year development process to win over both critics and Metacritic users.

Nintendo 3DS/DS

3DS Avg. Metascore 66.2 DS Avg. Metascore 67.6 Nintendo 3DS / DS

The past year wasn't especially memorable for 3DS gaming. While Nintendo's newest handheld platform seemed to get the better of its rival Sony device (then, the PSP) in 2011, this year brought tougher competition in the form of the Vita. And 3DS owners found no new "great" games awaiting them in 2012, while the device's highest-scoring title, Colors! 3D, wasn't even a game. Still, the average Metascore for 3DS releases in 2012 was up nearly 3 points, and there were 10 more positively reviewed 3DS games released this year (24 total) than the year before.

The fading DS platform also contributed a few more well-reviewed titles, though the number of scored releases for the DS fell from 61 in 2011 to just 14 in 2012. (Half of the latter received fewer than 7 reviews and thus are not included in the list below.)

PlayStation Vita and PSP





Vita Avg. Metascore 69.7 PSP Avg. Metascore 71.2 PlayStation Vita / PSP

Three out of 2012's four highest-scoring handheld games (not including iOS) were found on the PlayStation Vita, and the first-year platform also edged out both Nintendo handhelds in average Metascore for 2012 releases. The Vita also managed one 90+ release: Persona 4 Golden, a port of the PS2 game Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4.

The number of scored 2012 releases for Nintendo's 3DS and Sony's Vita were virtually identical (77 vs. 76), but nearly 45% of the Vita's games received positive reviews compared to just 31% of the 3DS titles. Nintendo, of course, still has the edge where it counts: in hardware and software sales.

Best-Reviewed PSP Games, 2012 Game Publisher Metascore 1 Velocity

PSP Game of the Year FuturLab 87 2 Wizorb Beatshapers 79 3 Gungnir Atlus Co. 68 4 Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time Atlus Co. 67 5 Unchained Blades Xseed Games 61

What do you think?

What are your favorite games of the past year? Let us know in the discussion section below, or cast your vote for your favorites in our Best of 2012 Users Poll.