Launch game scores, from DC to xbox360

[rabidrabbit]

Launch game scores, from DC to xbox360, Wii and PS3

Thought I'd gather the launch game scores for DC, PS2, Gamecube, xbox and xbox360 (UPDATE!!!! and PS3 scores, see page 2!!!!)for comparison. Please note that the games I picked are not necessarily launch day titles, but more those that were officially given from said company as the "list of US launch titles".
Obviously the xbox360 comes a bit short on quantity here, but I might update this in the future (if this isn't locked before that )
Source: Metacritic and Gamerankings.
I've singled out the Gamespot as imo it is quite a "reliable" and relatively unbiased source for reviews.

DC
Airforce Delta................Average: 6.5.....Gamespot: 7
Blue Stinger..................Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 6.3
CART Flag to Flag..........Average: 6.4.....Gamespot: 6.1
Expendable...................Average: 6.1.....Gamespot: 7.0
House of the Dead 2 .....Average: 7.8.....Gamespot: 6.7
Hydro Thunder..............Average: 8.0.....Gamespot: 7.9
Monaco Grand Prix.........Average: 6.9.....Gamespot: 7.4
Mortal Kombat Gold.......Average: 5.5.....Gamespot: 5.0
NFL 2000......................Average: 9.1.....Gamespot: 9.9
NFL Blitz 2000...............Average: 8.0.....Gamespot: 8.7
Pen Pen Tri-Icelon.........Average: 6.4.....Gamespot: 6.0
Power Stone ................Average: 8.4.....Gamespot: 7.6
Ready 2 Rumble............Average: 8.3.....Gamespot: 8.7
Sonic Adventure............Average: 8.7.....Gamespot: 9.2
Soul Calibur..................Average: 9.7.....Gamespot: 10.0
TNN Hardcore Heat........Average: 6.0.....Gamespot: 4.6
Tokyo Xtreme Racing.....Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 5.6
TrickStyle......................Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 6.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Average:.............................7.4....................7.23

PS2
Armored Core 2...........................Average: 7.4.....Gamespot: 7.8
Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore.............Average: 8.6.....Gamespot: 8.9
Dynasty Warriors 2.......................Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 7.8
ESPN International Track & Field....Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 8.1
ESPN X Games Snowboarding........Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 6.4
Eternal Ring.................................Average: 5.8.....Gamespot: 6.3
Evergrace....................................Average: 5.2.....Gamespot: 5.2
FantaVision..................................Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 6.6
Gun Griffon Blaze..........................Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 7.6
Kessen.........................................Average: 7.7.....Gamespot: 7.4
Madden NFL 2001.........................Average: 8.9.....Gamespot: 9.1
Midnight Club: Street Racing..........Average: 7.7.....Gamespot: 8.4
Moto GP.......................................Average: 7.8.....Gamespot: 8.0
NHL 2001.....................................Average: 8.2.....Gamespot: 8.0
Orphen........................................Average: 5.7.....Gamespot: 6.7
Q-Ball Billiards Master...................Average: 6.6.....Gamespot: 6.6
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2...Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 8.0
Real Pool.....................................Average: 6.0.....Gamespot: 5.4
Ridge Racer V..............................Average: 8.0.....Gamespot: 7.6
SSX............................................Average: 9.1.....Gamespot: 9.4
Silent Scope.................................Average: 6.7.....Gamespot: 4.6
Silpheed: The Lost Planet..............Average: 6.0.....Gamespot: 6.8
Smuggler's Run............................Average: 7.9.....Gamespot: 8.0
Street Fighter EX3........................Average: 6.9.....Gamespot: 7.4
Surfing H30..................................Average: 4.2.....Gamespot: 4.8
Summoner...................................Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 7.7
Swing Away Golf...........................Average: 7.5.....Gamespot: 8.7
Tekken Tag Tournament................Average: 8.6.....Gamespot: 9.6
TimeSplitters................................Average: 8.3.....Gamespot: 8.4
Top Gear Daredevil.......................Average: 5.9.....Gamespot: 4.3
Unreal Tournament.......................Average: 7.7.....Gamespot: 8.2
Wild Wild Racing...........................Average: 6.9.....Gamespot: 6.0
X-Squad.......................................Average: 6.5.....Gamespot: 5.3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Average:...........................................7.15....................7.25


GameCube (EU launch games as I could not find a list of US games)
2002 FIFA World Cup........................................Average: 8.1.....Gamespot: 8.9
Luigi's Mansion.................................................Average: 7.9.....Gamespot: 7.9
Wave Race: Blue Storm.....................................Average: 8.3.....Gamespot: 8.5
Batman Vengeance...........................................Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 7.4
Bloody Roar: Primal Fury...................................Average: 7.6.....Gamespot: 7.2
Cel Damage.....................................................Average: 6.5.....Gamespot: 5.7
Crazy Taxi.......................................................Average: 7.1.....Gamespot: 4.9
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX.................................Average: 7.9.....Gamespot: 6.9
Disney's Tarzan...............................................Average: 6.2.....Gamespot: 6.2
Donald Duck Quack Attack.................................Average: 5.7.....Gamespot: 6.2
Driven.............................................................Average: 5.8.....Gamespot: 6.2
ESPN Winter Sports..........................................Average: 6.1.....Gamespot: - (no GS review available)
International Super Star Soccer 2......................Average: 7.3.....Gamespot: -
NBA Street......................................................Average: 8.5.....Gamespot: 8.8
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.................................Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 6.8
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader.....Average: 9.0.....Gamespot: 9.4
Super Monkey Ball...........................................Average: 8.9.....Gamespot: 8.8
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3.................................Average: 8.9.....Gamespot: 9.0
Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure............Average: 3.2.....Gamespot: 3.5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Average:...........................................................7.23....................7.19


xbox
Halo: Combat Evolved.................................Average: 9.6.....Gamespot: 9.7
Dead or Alive 3..........................................Average: 8.6.....Gamespot: 7.9
4x4 EVO 2.................................................Average: 6.1.....Gamespot: 4.8
AirForce Delta Storm..................................Average: 6.7.....Gamespot: 6.8
Cel Damage..............................................Average: 6.6.....Gamespot: 5.7
Fusion Frenzy............................................Average: 6.5.....Gamespot: 6.7
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee........................Average: 7.9.....Gamespot: 7.9
Project Gotham Racing................................Average: 8.7.....Gamespot: 8.1
NFL Fever 2002...........................................Average: 8.1.....Gamespot: 7.9
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3............................Average: 8.9.....Gamespot: 9.6
Transworld Surf.........................................Average: 7.4.....Gamespot: 8.0
Azurik.......................................................Average: 5.4.....Gamespot: 5.0
Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions.................Average: 7.2.....Gamespot: 6.8
Jet Set Radio Future..................................Average: 8.6.....Gamespot: 8.7
Madden NFL 2002.....................................Average: 8.8.....Gamespot: 8.6
NASCAR Thunder 2002..............................Average: 8.2.....Gamespot: 8.0
NASCAR Heat 2002...................................Average: 8.0.....Gamespot: 8.6
NHL Hitz 20-02.........................................Average: 8.1.....Gamespot: 7.0
Test Drive Off Road - Wide Open...............Average: 6.2.....Gamespot: 6.8
Mad Dash Racing.....................................Average: 6.7.....Gamespot: 7.0
Shrek.....................................................Average: 5.1.....Gamespot: 5.3
4x4 Evo 2................................................Average: 6.1.....Gamespot: 4.8
Dark Summit...........................................Average: 6.6.....Gamespot: 7.1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Average:......................................................7.40...................7.25


xbox360
Amped 3............................................................Average: 7.0.....Gamespot: -
Call of Duty 2......................................................Average: 9.2.....Gamespot: 8.8
Condemned: Criminal Origins...............................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
FIFA Soccer 06 Road to 2006 FIFA World Cup........Average: 7.0.....Gamespot: -
GUN...................................................................Average: 8.1.....Gamespot: -
Kameo: Elements of Power..................................Average: 8.0.....Gamespot: 8.7
Madden NFL 06...................................................Average: 8.0.....Gamespot: -
NBA 2K6.............................................................Average: 7.7.....Gamespot: 8.3
NBA LIVE 06........................................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Need for Speed Most Wanted...............................Average: 8.5.....Gamespot: 8.4
NHL 2K6.............................................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Perfect Dark Zero................................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Peter Jackson’s King Kong....................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Project Gotham Racing 3......................................Average: 9.4.....Gamespot: -
Quake 4.............................................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Ridge Racer 6....................................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06.................................Average: - .....Gamespot: -
Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland.......................Average: 9.0.....Gamespot: -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Average:...........................................................8.19...................8.55

Please note, that the xbox360 averages are not reliable until more reviews start appearing, many of the scores are just from one review.

Edit: See revised xbox360 table and Wii plus PS3 scores on page 2!

 

[PARANOiA]

I think this is a bad idea since it's unwise to judge a machine by it's average score overall. Why include the "bottom games" in your total? Maybe just a top five or top ten would make more sense.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Why? The consoles are also remembered by the bad games, if the launch has one or two top games and the rest bad games, surely that would affect people's views on the quality of launch.
If one needs to present one console in better light, that would be the way to do it of course

 

[Hardknock]

Interesting thread, hurry and finish the lists! :smile:

 

[rabidrabbit]

Phew! I think I'll leave the list at that, it was more work I thought and I really don't feel like updating it any more

 

[London Geezer]

Phew! I think I'll leave the list at that, it was more work I thought and I really don't feel like updating it any more

WHAT?!?! You started the job now you have to finish it!!!!! What kind of a thread is this then, you only posted DC results!!

 

[rabidrabbit]

lobby-boy, I did finish it up to todays data all the way to xbox360

 

[London Geezer]

lobby-boy, I did finish it up to todays data all the way to xbox360

oh er yes i knew that.

 

[LunchBox]

wow...

never realised PS2 had that many titles at launch...

i vaguely recall having that many titles to choose from...

nor do i recall gamecube having that many titles as well XD

 

[rabidrabbit]

They're not exactly the launch day titles, they're what were announced prior the consoles actual launch to be "launch titles".
As we all know, these companies understand the "launch time" as a few weeks from the launch day.
Even then, not all of those titles might not had made it to that launch period, still I included because it would've been much too laborious tio start pruning those games that actually "made it".
It was easiest just to take the lists those companies had given, and search the scores for them. It's not my fault if they did not give accurate launch title lists.
I must confess though, that with GC and xbox I could not find a single official list, so I had to kinda collect them from various sources, still I believe them to be fairly accurate lists of games from launch to month or so.

Stupid lists they are anyway... what a waste of time that was

 

[TurnDragoZeroV2G]

Nah, I disagree with you. I think it's cool that you spent the time to compile all that. I'm far too lazy to look it up (and I was curious myself, before anyone even mentioned it to me), so now i actually get to see it.

 

[jvd]

THe question is are these launch day scores or a certian territoys score ?

I.e ps2 usa release was 6 or 7 months after the japanese release . Dreamcast was what almost a years diffrence (holiday 98 to sept 99 ?)

 

[rabidrabbit]

They are scores for US launch period games, except the GameCube list, which is the EU launch list.
I don't know who is Territoy.

 

[Powderkeg]

It's strange to see Gamespot giving several 360 titles their highest review scores so far.

 

[jvd]

They are scores for US launch period games, except the GameCube list, which is the EU launch list.
I don't know who is Territoy.

Heh so this list is useless then.

In some cases we are talking about the time diffrence between pdz and gow and in other cases we are talking about a diffrence of games like pdz vs what comes out next sept

 

[quest55720]

The 360 launch looks to have a lot of solid titles. I am just disapointed there are not any titles that blew me away like soul calibur and NFL2K.

 

[PARANOiA]

Why? The consoles are also remembered by the bad games, if the launch has one or two top games and the rest bad games, surely that would affect people's views on the quality of launch.
If one needs to present one console in better light, that would be the way to do it of course

Hrmm well it's up to you, it's your thread, but I disgree. I will remember a launch by its best games, since these are the ones I'll buy, not the ones I'll never look at other that to laugh at (anyone remember Power Rangers on Megadrive heh heh).

Eg, do you remember the Xbox launch for Halo or Shrek?
Gamecube for Luigi's Mansion or Quack Attack?
PS2 for Ridge Racer or Real Pool?
DC for Soul Calibur or Airforce Delta? *shudder*

I hope you don't see me as trying to present one in a better light. I think your measurement tool is simply not correct. But that's the beauty of this world - we're free to have out opinions.

Edit: Ironically I'm actually on a work course today (Six Sigma Green Belt) which is purely based around statistics. The key learning yesterday was never to discuss average, especially with percentages, since it lies more than anything else. Cest la vie )

 

[Bad_Boy]

wow, power stone only got a 7.6??
thats like one of the best fighting games ever made imo. had so many fun moments playing that one.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Heh so this list is useless then.

In some cases we are talking about the time diffrence between pdz and gow and in other cases we are talking about a diffrence of games like pdz vs what comes out next sept

I know, but even if the launches are months apart, they're still essentially the same games that were reviewed.
For example even though GameCube launched later in EU than US, the launch game list is still very much the same as it was in US, and most of the reviews that are in Metacritic are from the US launch.
It's true that not 100% of the games in those lists are released in the "launch window", some must have been dealyed even a year, but I thínk they're few and far between and really don't affect the final average much.
They are the lists given by the manufacturers as launch games, after all, it's not my fault if they lie
Can you name some games that you know were released nearly a year from the launch in those lists? I think they're pretty accurate for a max. 6 month period after launch.

 

[seismologist]

The problem with 360 launch isn't the quality. It's that most of the games are multiplatform.