As anyone who’s made it through grade school can agree, getting graded on your performances in life is generally rather unpleasant. Even so, for some things, it’s important to have a metric of proficiency.
While I’m personally a proponent of “good enough,” I’d be lying if I said it never felt good to get an A on an assignment I worked really hard on. The same is true for video games.
Deltarune: How To S-Rank All Mini-Games In Chapter 3
Just don’t try for the T Rank, it’s not worth it.
I don’t typically play games with the intent of achieving high scores and marks, but when I get into that flow state and really pass a challenge with flying colors, it’s nice to be appreciated for my efforts. Even if only in some small way like a fake trophy or arbitrary letter grade.
Various genres of game, including action, platformer, JRPG, and rhythm, make use of some manner of grading or ranking system to show you how you did after a level. Out of those many games, these felt the best to really succeed in.
9Devil May Cry 3
High Marks Across The Board
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
If we’re talking about games that make use of grading systems, few series are as iconic asDevil May Cry.Since the very first game in the series, Devil May Cry has graded players on their per-level performance.
Most of the games use the same metrics for determining these grades, though if I were to pick a favorite, it’d be Devil May Cry 3.
At the end of every mission in Devil May Cry 3, the game will tally up your scores in five categories: mission time, the number of possible Red Orbs you collected, how stylish your moves were, how much damage you took, and whether you used any items. Each category receives a grade from D to S depending on their individual scores, and the final point tally is added up to determine your Devil Hunter Rank for that mission.
If you get a better rank, you’ll get a bonus of Red Orbs for your trouble.
As for why I like Devil May Cry 3 over the other games in the series in this regard, that’s very simple: by giving five metrics their individual grades, the letters spell funny nonsense words sometimes. Hey, I didn’t say it was a good reason.
8Bayonetta
The Bayo/Rodin/Luka/Cereza/Enzo Seal Of Approval
Considering they were both directed by Hideki Kamiya, it’s not surprising thatBayonettashares some design DNA with Devil May Cry, including particular mechanics like a grading system. However, where Devil May Cry uses letter grades, Bayonetta gives out award statues based on similar, yet slightly different per-level metrics.
At the end of a level in Bayonetta, the scores from every verse you cleared are added up into your total score. That also incentivizes hunting down Hidden Verses, by the way, as it means extra points (or deductions).
Bayonetta: 10 Best Weapons, Ranked
Bayonetta has had some iconic weapons, but which of them are actually good? This list can help you decide.
Your final score is determined by your highest combo, how long the level took you to finish, and whether you took any damage. Additionally, dying or using items will incur hefty score penalties, which is why people scream at streamers playing this game to never, ever use items.
Awards fall into five ranks: Stone, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. However, if you can go the extra distance, getting the fastest clear times, the highest combos, and no damage at all, you can get one step over the top into Pure Platinum territory.
I’ve only ever gotten one Pure Platinum award, but you better believe I treasured that thing.
7Ultrakill
Shoot For The Coveted P
Ultrakillhas frequently been likened to Devil May Cry if it were a first-person shooter, and that’s definitely accurate. Much like in Devil May Cry, regular gameplay has persistent Style Ranks for deftly moving about, dealing constant damage while taking none, and doing so in an expedient manner.
In addition to those Style Ranks, Ultrakill also gives regular letter grades at the end of each level.
Your grade for an Ultrakill level is based on clear time, the number of kills you got, and your highest Style Ranking. Your aggregated scores from those three categories are used to determine your final rank, with an assigned letter of D to S.
The big caveat here is that you can’t get a perfect score if you have any Major Assists turned on, such as reduced game speed or damage. Only by turning all Major Assists off, as well as scoring perfect S ranks on all three categories and not restarting, can you achieve a level’s highest possible rank of P.
Also, if you have any cheats enabled, you don’t get any rank no matter how well you did, because you’re a cheater.
Slapping For Scores
Cupheadis an old-school game, not just in its old-timey cartoon aesthetics, but in its approach to gameplay and perfection.It’s a difficult game, and it demands you get as close to perfection as possible in order to properly accommodate that difficulty.
There’s no tangible reward for reaching the heights of perfection, but really, isn’t getting a perfect score a reward in itself?
In every boss fight in Cuphead, the game keeps a running tally of your performance on four metrics: how long the fight took, how much damage you took, how many parry slaps you landed, and how many times you used your super meter for powered-up shots and EX skills.
The tricky part is that the Skill Level metric at the bottom is determined by the difficulty you were playing on. If you’re playing on Simple, you may’t get higher than a B, and if you’re playing on Regular, you can only get up to an A+.
You can only achieve a truly perfect S-grade score if you’re playing on Expert. It’s also worth noting that the Run ‘n Gun levels have special P grades, which you receive for getting to the end without attacking anything.
I guess it stands for “Pacifist?”
5Pizza Tower
Give Peppino Something To Be Happy About
Pizza Tower
Pizza Tower isn’t just any old platformer, it’s a platformer for the speed-minded.
Do you have the heart of a speedrunner? Can you not only complete a level fast but obtain everything that needs to be obtained in a single, flawless combo?
You will find yourself amply recognized for your achievements by the game’s grading system.
At the end of a level in Pizza Tower, you’re given a grade from D to S based on your total score upon crossing the finish line. This grade isonlydetermined by your score; you could conceivably get a good grade, even if you missed collectables, by making up the difference with speed and high combos.
Pizza Tower: 10 Best Levels, Ranked
Every level within Pizza Tower offers up something to completely shake up the game in unexpected ways, so out of such pickings, which are the best?
However, there’s a special threshold beyond S for the truly dedicated: the P rank. To receive a P rank in a level, you need to meet the score threshold for an S, carry a single combo from the first room of the level to the finish line, find all the secrets and collectibles, and complete Lap 2 during the escape.
I have never done this, and I suspect I never will because I don’t possess the kind of single-minded determination necessary to do so.
4Rhythm Heaven Fever
Do You Want To Be Superb, Or Just OK?
Rhythm Heaven Fever
Have you ever seenthe movie Whiplash? J.K. Simmons, 2014, excellent film. The reason I bring it up is that one of the most iconic moments in that film revolves around trying to keep tempo with busy music.
It’s not easy, even without J.K. Simmons smacking you upside the head while you count in fours. Rhythm Heaven Fever, thankfully, does not smack you upside the head.
Instead, it just gets… really passive-aggressive with its judging.
After every level in Rhythm Heaven Fever, the game assigns you one of three rankings, depending on how well you kept the tempo and whether you missed any beats. If you completely blew it, not even close to staying on the rhythm, the game will flat out tell you “Try Again.”
Even if you manage to stay on the beat and land most of the prompts, though, the game will only barely concede your success, giving you a half-hearted “OK.”
You can proceed to the next level with an OK, but the game really wants you to reach for its highest ranking of “Superb.” When you get a Superb, it busts out the sparkly fonts and fanfare to really drive home your success, to say nothing of landing that coveted Perfect rating for no missed beats.
3Tales Of Berseria
High Marks Are A Commodity
Tales of Berseria
Grading in games doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around singular letters or awards. Sometimes it can be more of a fluid metric, kind of like a cumulative score in an Olympic event.
Nearlyevery game in the Tales seriesutilizes this kind of grading system, and rather appropriately, it’s called Grade. Since every game uses this system in more or less the same way, I’m just choosing Berseria because I like it.
After every battle inTales of Berseria, you receive a Grade score alongside your regular results. Your Grade is determined by your performance in battle, such as battle time, max damage, and how much damage you take.
Additionally, chaining multiple battles back-to-back without saving or healing gives you a Grade multiplier. When you finish the game’s story, every point of Grade you earned over the entire run is tallied together.
If you start a New Game Plus, you’ll be brought to the Grade Shop, where you can spend accumulated Grade to add extra perks to your new run like carrying over equipment or doubling experience. Basically, how interesting your next run will be is entirely dependent on how successful your first run was.
2Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Earn Your Codename
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
In the Metal Gear series, most major combatants have some manner of codename, one that’s reflective of their tactics on the battlefield. Sniper Wolf, for example, is named as such because she prefers to use sniper rifles, while Vulcan Raven uses mounted weaponry.
InMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, not only do you receive a letter grade for your performance, but you’ll also get a codename of your own to reflect your personal tactics.
For the letter grade, the game keeps a running tally of your performance on a mission, particularly accomplishing objectives, moving quickly, making your shots, and staying hidden. Certain major events will incur big point bonuses or penalties; rescuing a prisoner scores you 5,000 points, while having an alarm go off costs you 5,000.
At the results, your score is tallied up for a letter grade ranging from E to S.
In addition to the grade, whichever type of weapons or tactics you made most predominant use of will determine your codename. For my part, I usually got named either Octopus or Bear after missions, because I favored non-lethal tactics like the tranquilizer pistol or CQC, respectively.This open-world title has fantastic combat, too.
1Mega Man Battle Network
Busting Viruses For Fun And Profit
Mega Man Battle Network: Legacy Collection
Have you ever tried to fix a computer problem for a friend or family member, and no matter how much effort it takes, they’re constantly over your shoulder telling you to hurry it up? That’s kind of like what virus busting is like inMega ManBattle Network, though at least in that game and its sequels, speedy, efficient busting gets you tangible rewards.
After every virus or Navi battle in the Battle Network games, your results screen will display the total battle time, as well as your Busting Level. Busting the virus quickly, as multi-deletes, and not moving will increase your Busting Level, while taking damage will decrease it.
Your final Busting Level can be anywhere from 1 to 10, plus an S rank if you score higher than the 10 threshold. The higher your Busting Level, the better data rewards you receive afterward.
If your level’s in the middling range, you’ll get some Zenny or a generic battle chip, but if you score high enough against Navis, you’ll receive stronger versions of their respective Navi Chip. If you get a crummy level, the game will usually give you an HP recovery as a pity.
I liked getting my health back after a hard fight, but I could do without the sass, frankly.
10 Games To Play If You Love Mega Man
If you love Mega Man and want more games like it, this list can help!
