Data Suggests This Fun Console Had the Best Launch Titles

A new study done on the aggregate review scores for launch games of the last ten consoles reveals some startling statistics about which device had the most quality titles available.

With nearly a month passed since the launch of the Wii U, Gamasutra took it upon themselves to take a harder look at how the very first titles to grace a console have performed since 2005's PlayStation launch. Using a host of review scores from sites like Metacritic and Game Rankings, Gamasutra compared the launch windows of each of the past ten consoles to discover which performed the best.

Sifting through all the compiled data was no easy task, but the numbers provided revealed some interesting facts about games over the last seventeen years. Based on the stats, the Nintendo Gamecube had the best average reviews for its launch games, with the Xbox 360 following close behind. The PlayStation had the worst average scores, with the Wii barely escaping the bottom rung.

Interestingly enough, the numbers also showed the Wii U had the largest spread amongst its early reviews, with even more still being recorded. The PlayStation 3 and Wii also had large sample sizes, which dwarfed those of the PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. That discrepancy could be attributed to the number of outlets creating reviews increasing in recent years.

While the study didn't presume to draw any particular conclusion from the statistics, it certainly provided a new perspective on the history of consoles.