Template:Video game reviews/doc

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{{Video game reviews}} is a template which presents review aggregator and individual publication review scores in a video game article. It supports a game's reception section, which for released titles is necessary for an article to be broad in its coverage.

Things to remember:

• This template is not required.
• This template supplements the reception section; it does not replace it.
• Only include reviews if they are cited within the text.

Guidelines

{{Video game reviews}} is not required

Traditional reviews, or those that provide some type of score, may be few and far between for some games. If you only have a couple of such reviews which could be used to fill the table, consider foregoing the table and instead simply state these in the body of reception text.

All reviews must be referenced

Individual reviews should cite their original publication, not the truncated aggregator summary. See also Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Sources.

Every single-site review source should be used within the reception section

The reviews table supports the text. It is not to replicate the function of external review aggregators.

Stay with the "usual suspects"

Aggregator scores

Aggregators present readers with a quick gauge of the critical consensus.

• Metacritic − Industry standard
• GameRankings − Useful for older games

Do not include GameRankings in articles about newer games. GameRankings is mainly useful for older games and it is mainly duplication in newer ones. Round aggregator scores to the nearest whole number (e.g., 83.46% → 83%).

Review scores

The following sources comprise the most popular and influential voices in the games industry. They provide a core selection of reviews to build a reception section:

• IGN − Most popular English language games website
• GameSpot − Second most popular English language games website
• Game Informer − US magazine with the largest circulation
• Edge − UK's longest running print magazine
• Eurogamer − Most popular European English language games website (See below)

For older games, particularly fifth generation and earlier, web based publications lacked the reach and influence of print publications. Consider these sources:

• Computer and Video Games − UK magazine first published in 1981
• Computer Gaming World − US PC magazine first published in 1981
• Electronic Gaming Monthly − US magazine first published in 1989 (See below)
• GamePro − US magazine first published in 1989
• These publications and others may be available from the WikiProject's reference library.

Single platform publications may offer specialist insight to platform-exclusive games, and allow readers to compare the reception across platforms of multiplatform games. Consider sources such as Nintendo Power, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer, PlayStation Official Magazine – UK, and others.

For niche genres, genre publications may offer specialist insight. Consider sources such as Adventure Gamers, RPGamer, PC Pilot, and others.

Games which have strong cultural ties to their country of origin should have reception from that same country. Japanese games and Japanese ports of American games, for example, are best served with a Famitsu review (See below).

Consider coverage from outside traditional video games media. High quality sources such as The New York Times, Wired, and the BBC do not cater to a "gamer" audience, but may on occasion cover video games. Wikipedia is both a generalist and specialist encyclopedia. Opinions from these sources may be more accessible to a non-gamer audience and place the subject in a greater cultural and societal context than is possible at a narrowly focused video gaming publication.

Reviews without scores

Some publications, such as Eurogamer, Kotaku, and Polygon, may not score their reviews. If, instead of a score, the publication presents the game with a badge or award in its review, this can be included in the table. This is not necessary.

Consider the aggregate scoring breakdown

The review aggregators used in the table are considered reliable sources and are trusted to provide the critical consensus. However, some games may divide opinion and there may be no true consensus. This division of opinion may already have been captured following the guidelines above, but if not - consider including further reviews expressing these "outlier" opinions.

Publications such as Electronic Gaming Monthly and Famitsu review games among a group, with each reviewer offering their individual score. Using the average or cumulative score from these publications will result in the loss of that breakdown, so include the individual scores, either in the table itself or in a footnote.

Numerical scores

Make sure to include the maximum possible score for a review if the review uses a numerical value ("7/10", "86/100"). This is not required if the score is published as a percentage, as this presumes the maximum score of 100%.

Letter grades

Ratings that use a letter grade system should simply present the letter grade ("B-", "C+").

Stars

If a review uses a stars instead of numbers, you may use the {{rating}} template. This is not required. Examples:

Code	Result
{{Rating|3|5}}
{{Rating|3.5|5}}
{{Rating|7|10}}

General

Usage

All of the following fields are optional:

title*

Can be used to provide a custom title for the table; otherwise, it will default to "Reception".

subtitle*

Used to add additional text before the collapsible section. This is necessary to add if want a longer title, as long titles via the "title" parameter will not center correctly.

state* [autocollapse, collapsed, expanded]

autocollapse  –  The table will start out collapsed if there are two or more tables on the same page that use other collapsible tables. Otherwise, the table will be expanded. For technical details, see MediaWiki:Common.js.

collapsed  –  The table will be collapsed (hidden) by default. This is useful for very long tables.

expanded  –  The table will be expanded (shown) by default. This is useful if autocollapse is not showing the table in a section that it wouldn't matter.

If undefined or set to blank, the table will not be collapsible. The table will also not be collapsible if the title parameter is not set.

align*

right  –  Displays the table on the right. This is default.

left  –  Displays the table on the left.

inherit  –  Specifies that the value of the float property should be inherited from the parent element.

none  –  The table is not aligned, and will be displayed just where it occurs in the text on the page.

qid

Can be used to link to a different Wikidata QID than the current page. Specifying 'none' will disable Wikidata pull entirely.

df

Can be used to specify the date format for any generated citations from Wikidata.

Code

Aggregator	Code	Rating system example
Metacritic	MC	83/100
GameRankings (See note above—only use for older games when Metacritic data is unavailable)	GR	84%

Use "wikidata" as the rating for the above fields to pull from aggregator reviews declared on the game's respective Wikidata page. This will automatically build references from Wikidata as well. The default date format is MDY. To change it, specify another format with "|df=<format>" such as DMY, YMD, etc. See WP:VG/WD for a quick guide on editing Wikidata.

Reviewer	Code	Example / Note
1Up.com	1UP	A+ to D-
4Players	4P
ACE	ACE
Adventure Gamers	AdvGamers
AllGame	Allgame
Aktueller Software Markt	ASM
Amiga Action	AmAction
Amiga Computing	AmComputing
Amiga Format	AmFormat
Amiga Force	AmForce
Amiga Power	AmPower
Amiga User International	AmUI
Amstrad Action	AAction
Amtix	Amtix
Beep! MegaDrive	BMD
CNET Gamecenter	CNG
Computer Game Review	CGR
Computer Games Magazine	CGM
Computer Games Strategy Plus	CGSP
Computer Gaming World	CGW
Consoles +	CP
Crash	CRASH
Computer and Video Games	CVG	9.2 (0 to 10)
Destructoid	Destruct
Dragon	Dragon
Easy Allies	EZA
Edge	Edge	6/10 (1 to 10)
Electronic Gaming Monthly	EGM	9.5/10 (0 to 10)
EP Daily	EPD
Eurogamer	EuroG	Ceased scoring reviews in February 2015
Famitsu	Fam	0 to 40, based on four individual reviews
G4	G4
Game Informer	GI
Game Players	GP
GameFan	GameFan
Gamekult	Gamekult
GamePro	GamePro
GameRevolution	GameRev	A to D- (1996–2012), 5-star rating (2012–2020), 10-star rating (2020–present)
GamesMaster	GMaster
GameSpot	GSpot	7/10 (1 to 10)
GameSpy	GSpy

Reviewer	Code	Example / Note
GamesRadar+	GRadar
GameStar	GStar
GamesTM	GTM
Games-X	GX
GameTrailers	GT
Gamezebo	Gamezebo
GameZone	GameZone
Gekkan PC Engine	GPCE
Génération 4	Gen4
Giant Bomb	GB
Hardcore Gamer	HCG
HobbyConsolas	HC
Hyper	Hyper
IGN	IGN	9/10 (1 to 10). Used decimals prior to 2020 (9.3/10).
Impress Watch	IW
Jeuxvideo.com	JXV	16/20 (1 to 20)
Joypad	JP
Joystick	JS
Joystiq	Joystiq	Ceased scoring reviews in January 2015
M! Games	MG
MacLife	ML
Macworld	MW
Marukatsu PC Engine	MPCE
Maximum PC	MaxPC
Mean Machines Sega	MMS
Mega Fun	MF
MeriStation	MS
Micromanía	MIC
N64 Magazine	N64
Next Generation	NGen	5-star rating
NGamer	NG
NGC Magazine	NGC
Nintendo Life	NLife
Nintendo Power	NP
Nintendo World Report	NWR
Official Nintendo Magazine	ONM
PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia	OPMAU
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK	OPMUK
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine	OPM
Official Xbox Magazine (UK)	OXMUK
Official Xbox Magazine (US)	OXM

Reviewer	Code	Example / Note
PALGN	PALGN
PC Accelerator	PCA
PC Engine Fan	PCEF
PC Format	PCF
PC Gamer (UK)	PCGUK
PC Gamer (US)	PCGUS	72/100
PC Games (DE)	PCG
PC Games (US)	GPPCG
PC PowerPlay	PCPP
PC Zone	PCZone
PCGamesN	PCGN
PCMag	PCM
Play	Play
Pocket Gamer	PG	Published by Steel Media; not to be confused with single-issue magazine by Imagine Media
Polygon	Poly	Ceased scoring reviews in May 2018
Player One	PO
PlayStation: The Official Magazine	PSM
PSM3	PSM3
Push Square	PSQ
Raze	Raze
Retro Gamer	Retro
RPGamer	RPG
RPGFan	RPGFan
Shacknews	SN
Sinclair User	SUser
ST Action	STAction
ST Format	STFormat
ST Review	STRev
Superjuegos	SJ
Super Game Power	SGP	SGP sometimes featured GamePro reviews. Only original non-GamePro reviews should be used.
Super Play	SP
TeamXbox	TX
Tilt	TILT
Total!	TOT
TouchArcade	TA
The Games Machine	TGM
The Games Machine (Italy)	TGMIt
The Guardian	TG	5-star rating
USgamer	USG	5-star rating
VentureBeat	VB
VG247	VG247
Video Games (DE)	VGS
VideoGamer.com	VG
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment	VGCE
X-Play	XPlay
Your Sinclair	YSinclair
Zero	Zero
Zzap!64	Z64

Award layout

Usage

Documentation Template

For testing

Awards

Publication	Award
BAFTA	PC Game of the Year (2000)
PC Zone	Best PC Game of All Time

award_n*

These are for the title of the awards that the game has won.

award_nPub*

These are the publishers that provided the award for the game.

Code

Example Blank Template

{{Video game reviews
| title = 
| subtitle = 
<!-- Formatting -->
| state = <!-- blank/collapsed/collapsed/expanded -->
| align = <!-- left/right/none/inherit -->
<!-- Awards; no limit -->
| award1Pub = 
| award1 = 
| award2Pub = 
| award2 = 
}}

Single-platform/column layout

Documentation Template

For testing

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	3DS: 61/100 PS3: 68/100 PS4: 70/100 VITA: 70/100 NS: 70/100 XONE: 73/100

Review scores

Publication	Score
1Up.com	PS4/XONE: C PSP: C-
EGM	PS4/XONE: C, C, B-
Game Informer	PS4/XONE: 8.75/10
GameSpot	3DS: 5.5/10 PS3: 6.0/10 PS4/XONE: 7.5/10 VITA: 7.0/10 NS: 6.0/10
GameTrailers	PS4/X360: 6.9/10
IGN	PS3: 7.2/10 VITA: 7.5/10 PS4/XONE: 7.3/10 NS: 7.8/10
OXM (US)	7.5/10
X-Play	PS4/XONE: 2/5
Custom Reviewer	With score
Other Custom Reviewer	Can skip numbers

Awards

Publication	Award
BAFTA	PC Game of the Year (2000)
PC Zone	Best PC Game of All Time

Usage

award_n*

These are for the title of the awards that the game has won.

award_nPub*

These are the publishers that provided the award for the game.

rev_n*

These are for custom reviewers. Use with rev_nScore.

rev_nScore*

These are for custom reviewers scores for each Platform. Use with rev_n.

agg_n*

These are for custom aggregate. Use with agg_nScore.

agg_nScore*

These are for custom aggregate scores for each Platform. Use with agg_n.

Code

Example Blank Template

{{Video game reviews
| title = 
| subtitle = 
<!-- Formatting -->
| state = <!-- blank/collapsed/collapsed/expanded -->
| align = <!-- left/right/none/inherit -->
<!-- Aggregators -->
| MC = 
<!-- Reviewers -->
| XPlay = 
| IGN = 
<!-- Custom aggregators; limit is set to 10 -->
| agg1 = 
| agg1Score = 
| agg2 = 
| agg2Score = 
<!-- Custom Reviewers; limit is set to 10 -->
| rev1 = 
| rev1Score = 
| rev2 = 
| rev2Score = 
<!-- Awards; no limit -->
| award1Pub = 
| award1 = 
| award2Pub = 
| award2 = 
}}

Multi-platform/column layout

Usage

Documentation Template

For testing

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
	3DS	NS	PC	PS4
Metacritic	71/100	N/A	N/A	91/100

Review scores

Publication	Score
	3DS	NS	PC	PS4
1Up.com	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
GameSpot	7.9/10	7.3/10	7.2/10	8.2/10
GameSpy		N/A	N/A	N/A
IGN	7.0/10	N/A	N/A	8.7/10
Custom Reviewer	With score	N/A	N/A	N/A
Other Custom Reviewer.	N/A	N/A	Can skip numbers.	N/A

Awards

Publication	Award
BAFTA	PC Game of the Year (2000)
PC Zone	Best PC Game of All Time

na*

This will set a fill of N/A grayed out.

award_n*

These are for the title of the awards that the game has won.

award_nPub*

These are the publishers that provided the award for the game.

rev_n*

These are for custom reviewers. Use with rev_nPlatform.

rev_nPlatform*

These are for custom reviewers scores for each Platform. Use with rev_n.

Code

You first need to put any platforms that are being used. The code to use is as follows:
Enter "true" into any platform used.
If not used, set to non-true value, leave blank, or delete the parameter.

Example Blank Template {{Video game reviews | title = | subtitle = <!-- Formatting --> | state = <!-- blank/collapsed/collapsed/expanded --> | align = <!-- left/right/none/inherit --> | na = true/false; default is false and can be omitted <!-- Turn on platform etc. --> | DS = true | iOS = false <!-- Aggregators etc. --> | MC_DS = | MC_iOS = <!-- Reviewers etc. --> | XPlay_iOS = | IGN_X360 = <!-- Custom reviewers; limit is set to 10 --> | rev1 = | rev1_PC = | rev1_X360 = | rev2 = | rev2_PC = <!-- Awards; no limit --> | award1Pub = | award1 = | award2Pub = | award2 = }}

Common predefined system types, see #How to add a new platform for all System Code 3DO Interactive Multiplayer 3DO Nintendo 3DS 3DS Amiga AMI Arcade game ARC Atari 2600 A2600 Atari Jaguar JAG Atari Lynx LYNX Atari ST AST Commodore 64 C64 Amiga CD32 CD32 ColecoVision CV MS-DOS DOS Dreamcast SDC Nintendo DS DS Game Boy GB Game Boy Advance GBA Game Boy Color GBC GameCube NGC General ~~ If review is broad. GEN iOS iOS Macintosh MAC Master System SMS Mobile phones MOB N-Gage N-G Nintendo 64 N64 Nintendo Entertainment System NES Nintendo Switch NS Personal computer PC PlayStation Vita VITA PlayStation PS PlayStation 2 PS2 PlayStation 3 PS3 PlayStation 4 PS4 PlayStation 5 PS5 PlayStation Portable PSP Sega Saturn SSAT Sega Genesis SMD Sega Game Gear SGG Nvidia Shield NSHI Super Nintendo Entertainment System SNES TurboGrafx-16 TG16 Wii WII Wii U WIIU Xbox XBOX Xbox 360 X360 Xbox One XONE Xbox Series X and Series S XSXS ZX Spectrum ZX

How to add a new platform

Go to Module:Video game reviews/data and add {'wiki url/title', 'short code for the system'} within the system array.

• Define a code for the new platform, such as "PS2" for PlayStation 2.
• Determine its alphabetical order, and the platform code preceding and succeeding it. For example, for PS2, the PS precedes, and the PS3 succeeds.

How to add a new reviewer

Go to Module: Video game reviews/data and add {'wikilink/title', 'short code for the reviewer'} within the reviewer array.

• Define a code into the appropriate place (alphabetically) of the existing code.
• Provide an appropriate wikilink if available.

Template Data

This is the TemplateData documentation for this template used by VisualEditor and other tools; see the monthly error report for this template.

TemplateData for Video game reviews

A template to show the review scores, aggregator scores, and awards given to a title.

Template parameters

This template prefers block formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
title	title	Title of the template. Default Reception	String	optional
subtitle	subtitle	Subtitle of the template.	String	optional
state	state	The tables collapsable settings. Suggested values autocollapse collapsed expanded Default expanded	String	optional
align	align	The tables horizontal alignment settings. Suggested values left right inherit none Default right	String	optional
na	na	This will set a fill of N/A grayed out. Default true	String	optional
GameRankings	GR	Only use for older games when Metacritic data is unavailable	String	optional
Metacritic	MC	no description	String	optional
1Up.com	1UP	A+ to D-	String	optional
ACE	ACE	no description	String	optional
Adventure Gamers	AdvGamers	no description	String	optional
AllGame	Allgame	no description	String	optional
Amstrad Action	AAction	no description	String	optional
Amtix	Amtix	no description	String	optional
Computer and Video Games	CVG	9.2/10 (0 to 10)	String	optional
Computer Games Magazine	CGM CGSP cdmag	no description	String	optional
Computer Gaming World	CGW	no description	String	optional
Consoles +	CP	no description	String	optional
Crash	CRASH	no description	String	optional
Destructoid	Destruct	no description	String	optional
Dragon	Dragon	no description	String	optional
Edge	Edge	6/10 (1 to 10)	String	optional
Electronic Gaming Monthly	EGM	9.5/10 (0 to 10)	String	optional
Eurogamer	EuroG	Ceased scoring reviews in February 2015	String	optional
Famitsu	Fam	0 to 40	String	optional
G4	G4	no description	String	optional
Game Informer	GI	no description	String	optional
GameFan	GameFan	no description	String	optional
Gamekult	Gamekult	no description	String	optional
GamePro	GamePro	no description	String	optional
GameRevolution	GameRev	A to D- (1996–2012)	String	optional
GamesMaster	GMaster	no description	String	optional
GameSpot	GSpot	7/10 (1 to 10)	String	optional
GameSpy	GSpy	no description	String	optional
GamesRadar+	GRadar	no description	String	optional
GStar	GStar	no description	String	optional
GamesTM	GTM	no description	String	optional
GameTrailers	GT	no description	String	optional
GameZone	GameZone	no description	String	optional
Giant Bomb	GB	no description	String	optional
Hyper	Hyper	no description	String	optional
IGN	IGN	9.5/10 (1 to 10)	String	optional
Impress Watch	IW	no description	String	optional
Jeuxvideo.com	JXV	16/20 (1 to 20)	String	optional
Joystiq	Joystiq	Ceased scoring reviews in January 2015	String	optional
Joypad	JP	no description	String	optional
M! Games	MG	no description	String	optional
Mega Fun	MF	no description	String	optional
Maximum PC	MaxPC	no description	String	optional
N64 Magazine	N64	no description	String	optional
Next Generation	NGen	5-star rating	String	optional
NGamer	NG	no description	String	optional
NGC Magazine	NGC	no description	String	optional
Nintendo Life	NLife	no description	String	optional
Nintendo Power	NP	no description	String	optional
Nintendo World Report	NWR	no description	String	optional
Official Nintendo Magazine	ONM	no description	String	optional
PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia	OPMAU	no description	String	optional
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK	OPMUK	no description	String	optional
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine	OPM	no description	String	optional
Official Xbox Magazine(UK)	OXMUK	no description	String	optional
Official Xbox Magazine(US)	OXM	no description	String	optional
PALGN	PALGN	no description	String	optional
PC Format	PCF	no description	String	optional
PC Gamer(UK)	PCGUK	no description	String	optional
PC Gamer(US)	PCGUS	72/100	String	optional
PC PowerPlay	PCPP	no description	String	optional
PC Zone	PCZone	no description	String	optional
PC Games (DE)	PCG	no description	String	optional
PCGamesN	PCGN	no description	String	optional
Play	Play	no description	String	optional
Pocket Gamer	PG	no description	String	optional
Polygon	Poly	Ceased scoring reviews in May 2018	String	optional
PlayStation: The Official Magazine	PSM	no description	String	optional
PSM3	PSM3	no description	String	optional
RPGamer	RPG	no description	String	optional
RPGFan	RPGFan	no description	String	optional
Shacknews	SN	no description	String	optional
Sinclair User	SUser	no description	String	optional
TeamXbox	TX	no description	String	optional
Total!	TOT	no description	String	optional
TouchArcade	TA	no description	String	optional
USgamer	USG	5-star rating	String	optional
VentureBeat	VB	no description	String	optional
VideoGamer.com	VG	no description	String	optional
Video Games (DE)	VGS	no description	String	optional
X-Play	XPlay	no description	String	optional
Your Sinclair	YSinclair	no description	String	optional
Zzap!64	Z64	no description	String	optional

See also

• Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Sources
• Template:Video game series reviews (talk, backlinks, edit) for video games in a series.
• Template:Rating (talk, backlinks, edit)
• Template:TV ratings (talk, backlinks, edit)
• Template:Film and game ratings (talk, backlinks, edit)