Why I Prefer High Scores to Letter Grades

February 26/2026

Finally the first article/blog post on this site, this one won't be too long, quick read I promise!!!

So, I really like arcade games and games with arcade philosophies (as you can tell by some of my other pages). The idea of ranks or letter grades vs high scores has been something I've thought of for a little while now. Here I'm going to compare the two and explain why high scores are 1,732,015 times better than SSSS ranks.

So, in games such as:

Transformers - Devastation

Astral Chain

Metal Gear Solid - Peace Walker

Spider-Man - Shattered Dimensions

At the end of a stage/game you receive a letter grade (or a medal) based on your performance. With some of these games your grades can be viewed in the selection screen or a dedicated results screen. Usually in these games there's about 3-6 grades/medals you can receive (for example D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS)

In games such as:

MadWorld

Ninja Gaiden - Dragon Sword

Metal Gear Solid 2 - Substance [VR Missions]

Capcom vs Snk 2

Blue Revolver

Instead of a letter grade/medal you receive a specific score based on your performance. Inherently scores are a more precise way of measuring gameplay performance. If two players have SS ranks in all stages in Transformers, how is anyone meant to judge which of the two players is the better player? But with a specific score? Unless the planets align on a leap year, there's no way two players can have the exact same score (unless the scoring system is easily broken).

Sadly it seems that gamers would rather chase ranks than scores though, It's strange to me how speedrun.com is such a well made website with a thriving fanbase and yet the sites that are dedicated scoring sites are almost baron. I guess it's because a letter grade is more tangible to normies since it reminds of them of their childhood prisons AKA school.

In games such as:

Doom Eternal [Horde Mode]

Zone of the Enders 2nd Runner

Street Fighter 3 - 3rd Strike

I think the best of both worlds is achieved, in these games along with a large big boy number score you also receive a letter grade/medal. (You technically also receive one in Transformers but that doesn't really count because you can't actually view that in the results/selection screen). It has the big boy number for sickos like me who enjoy pursuing peak performance in games, while also appealing to normie letter chasers.

I hope you've enjoyed this article and you may have noticed I refused to mention Bayonetta and DMC. That's because every googoo gaga normie "gamer" knows about those series and I'm tired of the action game discourse being centered around those two franchises when they still have their own flaws.

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