Most critically acclaimed videogame ever

The most critically acclaimed videogame ever is The Legend Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which was developed by Nintendo (JPN) and released on 23 November 1998. As of 17 December 2021, it is the only game with a Metacritic score of 99 out of 100 – categorized as "universal acclaim".

Ocarina of Time was the first 3D entry in Nintendo's long-running action adventure series, developed to showcase the capabilities of the Nintendo 64 console. It took series protagonist Link on a decade-spanning quest to save Princess Zelda and the land of Hyrule from the villain Ganon. Players initially control Link as a child before the story skips ahead seven years to Link as an adult.

Ocarina of Time became the first game to ever receive a 40/40 score from Japanese videogames bible Famitsu. Three subsequent titles in the series – The Wind Waker (2003), Skyward Sword (2011), and Breath of the Wild (2017) – have matched this score, though none achieved quite the same level of acclaim globally.