After posting the new Zero Wing (TCD) review and adding it to the Contents page, I thought that it would be a good idea to add the scores next to the names of games I have reviewed in the Contents page in the link in the top bar. So, I added scores to the list. Sites usually do list the score next to the link to a game’s review article, and that page is where I have such a list. While doing so, I found that a few reviews didn’t have scores, so I went to my game-collection database and used the numbers I’d put there as a basis for a score.
Here are the five game reviews which now have scores:
- Pod (PC) – A
- Power Piggs of the Dark Age (SNES) – C+
- Ninja Crusaders (NES) – B-
- Tempo Jr. (GG) – C-
- Rock ‘n Roll Adventure (Wii) – D+
The scores have been added to the review articles.
As for how I score games, I’m probably an easy grader, my “average” score is probably a bit above average. I’m okay with that though, games are often fun! My scores use a variety of formats — most are letter grades, but some have a 10-point scale, and some use a percent scale, but whichever format the score is in, the way I grade does not change, so I don’t think there’s any reason to redo all the old reviews into one format. I generally grade with a school-grade-style system, regardless of what point system I’m using. I use the grading system I grew up with in school. So:
- A+: 98% and up
- A: 93-97% or 9/10 – An A score is great, for very good games.
- A-: 90-92%
- B+: 88-89%
- B: 83-87% or 8/10 – A B score is good, an above-average game that I probably like. I probably put a lot of games into the B grade level.
- B-: 80-82%
- C+: 78-79%
- C: 73-77% or 7/10 – a C score is considered average, the level that I expect a decent game should be able to reach.
- C-: 70-72%
- D+: 68-69%
- D: 63-67% or 6/10 – A D score is below average, for bad games that are not entirely irredeemable, and might be entertaining despite their issues.
- D-: 60-62%
- F: 0-59% or 0 to 5 out of 10 – An F is for very bad games that fail to achieve the basic level required to be a fun or quality game.
In school, if you got less than a 60 it is considered failing, and I score games the same way. I don’t use the “5 is average” scale, I prefer this one. I switched from always using a percent-based score to mostly just giving letter grades in part because it should help alleviate the issue of people reading percent scores different ways — what a C or D is is clear, while the equivalent 75% or 65% score will be read differently by different people. Also while I do like specificity, the difference, for instance, between a 73% and 77% score isn’t enough to need to list it with the review, really; the review texts hopefully will make those differences clear.
