I’m going to make some bold declarations. I’m going to name some perfect games, and you’re probably going to flame me.

There is such a thing as a perfect video game, and your favorite games probably don’t fall under that category. Most of mine certainly don’t. There is such a thing as a perfect game, though, and it’s possible to identify them.

A perfect game is a game that produces an excellent, engaging gaming experience while doing exactly what it sets out to do as a game without overcoming technical limitations or compromising the experience as a result of those limitations or making major missteps we’re forced to overlook. A perfect game is a game that’s meticulously designed and gives players a great experience thanks to that design.

I can name many, many great games, but the vast majority of them are inherently flawed. This doesn’t make them bad, it just means you have to get past their flaws to enjoy them. Sometimes, those flaws actually enhance the game unintentionally, making it enjoyable in a way the developers didn’t intend. They’re great games, but they’re not perfect.

When I say perfect games, I mean a small handful of ones that do their job well and hit exactly the spot the developers intended while (more…)