Getting a perfect score from IGN is basically the video game equivalent of winning an Oscar, but arguably harder because you can't just campaign for it with fancy dinners. It’s a badge of honor that sets the internet on fire every single time it happens. Think about it. Thousands of games launch every year. Most of them are lucky to break an 8. So when that big "Masterpiece" label drops, people lose their minds.
What actually defines IGN 10/10 games? Is it technical perfection? No. Is it a lack of bugs? Not necessarily. Honestly, it’s about that specific, lightning-in-a-bottle feeling where a game doesn't just play well—it changes the way we think about the medium entirely.
The Myth of the Perfect Game
Let's get one thing straight: a 10/10 doesn't mean a game is "perfect." Even the reviewers will tell you that. If we waited for a game with zero glitches, zero frame drops, and a plot that pleases every single human on earth, we’d never give out a score higher than a seven.
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IGN’s own review scale defines a 10 as "Masterpiece." It’s the highest recommendation they can give. It means the game is essential. It means that even if it has a weird UI quirk or a single wonky texture in a corner somewhere, the overall experience is so profound that those flaws just don't matter. You’ve probably seen the backlash when a game like Starfield or Cyberpunk 2077 misses that mark. People crave the validation of the 10. But looking back at the history of these scores, the list is surprisingly short and incredibly diverse.
From Ocarina to Elden Ring: The Heavy Hitters
If you look at the hall of fame, it’s a wild mix. You have the obvious titans. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the classic example, often cited as the blueprint for 3D adventure. Then you jump forward to Grand Theft Auto V, which redefined scale and multi-character storytelling.
But then things get interesting. Elden Ring grabbed that 10 because it took the "Ubisoft towers" open-world formula and basically threw it in the trash, replacing it with genuine, terrifying discovery. It didn't hold your hand. It let you walk into a boss fight you were 50 levels too weak for, and the critics loved it for that disrespect of the player's safety.
Then you have the smaller, more intimate masterpieces. Inside by Playdead. It’s a side-scrolling puzzle game that you can beat in an afternoon. Why a 10? Because every single second of that game is curated. There is no filler. No "fetch five goat skins" quests. It’s a lean, haunting experience that sticks in your brain for years. That’s the secret sauce. High-impact density often outweighs 100 hours of "okay" content.
The Nintendo Dominance
It’s impossible to talk about IGN 10/10 games without mentioning Nintendo. They are the overachievers of the industry. Super Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom all hit the mark. Why? Because Nintendo focuses on "the toy." They make sure that just moving the character—running, jumping, gliding—feels inherently fun before they even build a level.
When the Internet Fights Back
Not every 10 is met with universal cheers. Remember the The Last of Us Part II? That was a war zone.
The game received a 10/10 from IGN, praising its "masterpiece" status in storytelling and combat. Half the internet agreed. The other half spent months arguing about the narrative choices and the treatment of beloved characters. This highlights a crucial point about these scores: they are subjective. A review is one person’s deep dive into a work of art.
When God of War (2018) got its 10, it felt like a coronation. But when Deathloop hit that same mark in 2021, a lot of people were confused. They felt the game was "too repetitive" or the AI was "too easy." But the reviewer saw something else—a complex, clockwork immersive sim that respected the player's intelligence. This friction is actually good for gaming. It forces us to ask what we actually value. Is it "fun"? Is it "innovation"? Is it "graphics"?
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The Technical Reality of Masterpieces
It is a common misconception that a game needs to be a graphical powerhouse to get a 10. Look at Undertale. It looks like it was made in MS Paint by a very talented child. Yet, it’s frequently discussed in the same breath as masterpieces because of its subversive writing and how it remembers your choices even if you reset the game.
However, in the modern era, technical stability is becoming a bigger hurdle. In 2026, we’re seeing more games launch "broken" and get patched later. This has made the 10/10 even rarer. IGN has become more vocal about docking points for performance issues that hinder the experience. If a game is a masterpiece but runs at 15 frames per second, is it still a 10? Usually, the answer is no. A 10 requires the technology to disappear so the experience can take over.
How to Find Your Own "Personal" 10/10
Don't just chase the scores. A 10/10 for one person might be a 6/10 for you if you hate the genre. If you hate soulslikes, Elden Ring is going to be a miserable experience regardless of what the badge says.
To find the games that will actually resonate with you, look past the number. Read the "Why" in the review. Does the reviewer praise the "systemic interactions"? That’s code for "you can experiment and break stuff." Do they talk about "ludonarrative harmony"? That’s fancy talk for "the gameplay actually matches the story."
Steps to Evaluate a Game Beyond the Score:
- Watch raw gameplay, not trailers. Trailers are lies. They are edited to hide the boring parts. Watch ten minutes of someone actually playing the game to see the real loop.
- Check the "Score Philosophy." Every outlet has one. IGN’s is public. Know what their numbers actually mean before you get angry at them.
- Wait for the "Technical Review." If you're on a console, wait for Digital Foundry or similar experts to confirm the game actually works. A masterpiece is a lot less fun when it crashes your hardware.
- Identify your "Dealbreakers." If you can't stand backtracking, even a 10/10 Metroidvania isn't for you. Be honest about what you enjoy.
The Future of the Perfect Score
As games get bigger, they get messier. The era of the "flawless" 10 might be over, replaced by the "ambitious" 10. We’re seeing a shift where critics are willing to forgive some rough edges if the game is doing something truly new. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a perfect example. It had bugs at launch. Its third act was, according to many, less polished than the first two. But it was so overwhelmingly dense with choice and consequence that the 10/10 felt inevitable.
We are moving toward a period where "impact" is the primary metric. If a game makes you think about it while you're at work, or makes you call your friends just to describe a weird thing that happened, it’s on the path to a perfect score.
Actionable Takeaways for Game Hunting
- Track the Reviewer: If you loved Hades and notice the same reviewer gave a 10 to a new indie game, pay attention. Reviewers have "tastes" just like you do.
- Ignore the Day-One Hype: The "Review Bombing" or "Review Praising" cycle on Metacritic is usually noise. Give it a week for the dust to settle.
- Play the "Historical" 10s: If you haven't played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or The Last of Us, do it. Even if you think they’re overhyped, they are the benchmarks that every modern game is measured against. Understanding why they got a 10 will help you understand the entire industry better.
- Diversify Your Genres: Sometimes a 10/10 in a genre you usually ignore—like a racing sim or a puzzle game—is the best way to break a gaming slump. These games are usually the absolute pinnacle of their specific niche.
A 10/10 isn't a promise that you will love a game. It's a statement that the game has achieved exactly what it set out to do at the highest possible level. Whether you enjoy that achievement is entirely up to you.