So which console really has the best exclusives?
By oldschool 103 Comments
Let me start by saying that ant 'system wars' stuff is not welcome anywhere, let alone here. This blog is about the exclusives that each of the consoles offer and the one with the best games will always be the games you like the most - everyone is right, no matter how different their answer is.
Also, I need to add that any errors in my analysis are not intentional, as it took a bit of work to establish what I did, so if you find any errors, by all means let me know. This does not include any download games, just retail ones. Also, I did leave out some games like Naruto, where each console has a Naruto game so exclusivity isn't really applicable. That applies to a few others I can't remember. Ones that also come to mind are all the singing (Singstar/Lips) and quizz (Buzz/Scene It) games as they are an experience not really exclusive. Yes, I know that applies elsewhere, but I had to make a line somewhere and that is the line I chose. Also, I am ignoring PC, this is just about consoles.
With that out of the way, I though that it might be interesting to have a decent look at which games are exclusive to a console and how that compares. My expectations were that they would all be worth owning and looking at the results, I believe that I am right.
XBOX 360:
| 2007 | 80 | |
| 2008 | 80 | |
| 2007 | 79 | |
| 2006 | 71 | |
| 2008 | 75 | |
| 2005 | 85 | |
| 2007 | 69 | |
| 2008 | 89 | |
| 2007 | 90 | |
| 2009 | 91 | |
| 2008 | 75 | |
| 2006 | 94 | |
| 2008 | 93 | |
| 2007 | 94 | |
| 2009 | 83 | |
| 2009 | 82 | |
| 2008 | 68 | |
| 2005 | 79 | |
| 2008 | 66 | |
| 2008 | 89 | |
| 2006 | 79 | |
| 2009 | 70 | |
| 2007 | 91 | |
| 2006 | 61 | |
| 2005 | 81 | |
| 2005 | 88 | |
| 2007 | 85 | |
| 2007 | 64 | |
| 2005 | 75 | |
| 2009 | 72 | |
| 2006 | 64 | |
| 2008 | 79 | |
| 2006 | 82 | |
| 2008 | 66 | |
| 2006 | 84 | |
| 2008 | 82 |
| 2008 | 78 |
| 2007 | 83 |
| 2006 | 85 |
| 2008 | 65 |
| 2007 | 82 | |
| 2008 | 75 |
42 games in total. I have managed to accumulate 12 of those 360 only games. I still need to add Tales of Vesperia, Forza 3 and Fable II to my collection. A pretty decent set of games, but I suspect the most popular ones are the ones I don't care for - Halo and Gears of War.
For some reason Liberty City Stories isn't on Metacritic (the individual DLC is) so that should be on this list.
PS3:
| 2009 | 63 | |
| 2009 | 89 | |
| 2008 | 78 | |
| 2007 | 75 | |
| 2009 | 70 | |
| 2007 | 75 | |
| 2008 | 80 | |
| 2007 | 79 | |
| 2008 | 81 | |
| 2009 | 85 | |
| 2009 | 91 | |
| 2008 | 95 | |
| 2008 | 94 | |
| 2007 | 82 | |
| 2008 | 82 | |
| 2008 | 87 | |
| 2006 | 86 | |
| 2008 | 63 | |
| 2007 | 60 | |
| 2009 | 96 | |
| 2007 | 88 | |
| 2008 | 86 | |
| 2007 | 84 |
| 2009 | 86 |
| 2008 | 76 | |
| 2007 | 89 |
| 2009 | 83 |
| 2009 | 89 |
| 2008 | 78 |
28 games in total, so quite a bit short of the 360 total. I am not in possession of a PS3 and to be honest, not a lot of the exclusives are really my kind of game, but a handful look like awesome games that I would be very happy to add to my library - Demon Souls, Disgaea 3, Folklore, LittleBigPlanet and Valkyria Chronicles. Obviously there will be a lot of love for Unchartered, Resistance and Metal Gear.
Edit: whoops, forgot Ratchet & Clank :-(Of course, as expected I would include the Wii exclusives. Sure, there will be a lot of the usual hate and that would be a pity, but there is clearly a large number of well received games to choose from. Those who don't enjoy what is on offer are only missing out on the fun.
WII:
98 games, but that is not unexpected as the difference to the HD consoles means that many of those made for the Wii won't appear on those HD counterparts. I have mamaged to accumulate 41 of these games and quite a few more will end up in my collection.
I believe in owning as many consoles as you can afford, but also that any single console can still satisfy your needs if you can't afford more. The PSWii or Wii360 is clearly a good second choice though as it really does give you the best of most of what is on offer. As for me though, the 360 still probably pips the PS3 at the post as far as exclusives are concerned, only because of JRPG. I never thought that would ever be the case. Don't get your knickers in a twist when I say that the Wii beats both, because it is just a personal view.
Now it is over to you. With you own tastes, which one is leading the way at this point in time?