Editing Game Informer (section)

==Features and reviews==
''Game Informer'' reviewed games since the early 16 bit era. The magazine has reviewed games on [[Personal computer|PCs]], consoles (including [[PlayStation 5]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[PlayStation VR]], [[Xbox Series X]], [[Xbox One]] and [[Nintendo Switch]]) and mobile devices running [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iOS]].<ref>''Game Informer'', issue 323 pp. 80</ref> ''Game Informer'' used to give separate reviews of the same game for each console for which that game was released; starting in the mid-2000s, ''GI'' has published just one consolidated review for the game, while provides notes on the {{lang|la|pros}} and {{lang|la|cons}} of each version. Older games, three per issue, were given brief reviews in the magazine's "Classic GI" section (compared with the game's original review score, if one exists). This was discontinued in 2009, months before the redesign of the magazine.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} The magazine's staff members rate games on a scale of 1 to 10 with quarter-point intervals. A score of 1 to 5 is considered terrible (in many issues, 1 is noted as a joke reason for the score, for instance, "Duplicates in lootboxes" in issue 295);<ref>''Game Informer'', issue 295, p. 70</ref> 6 to 7 is "average", a decently playable, and sometimes fun (but flawed) game; and 10 is a rare, "outstanding", nearly perfect game.<ref>''Game Informer'', issue 251 (March 2014), p. 84</ref>

Annually, ''Game Informer''<nowiki/>'s editors counted and judged the "Top 50 Games of [last year]". The games were sorted in order of release date. They do not have rankings, but they did commemorate special games with awards like Game of the Year and other examples. They also had top ten charts of differing categories, both in the "Top 50" section of the website and in the regular magazine.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} ''Game Informer'' also annually included an "E3 Hot 50", a special section that reviews the year's [[E3]] (Electronic Entertainment Expo) and most to all of its games, which also temporarily replaced the "Previews" section of the print edition.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} 

===Game of the Year winners===
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2025}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Game !! class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| 1991 || {{N/A}} ||
|-
| 1992 || ''[[Street Fighter II]]''||
|-
| 1993 || ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]''||
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''||
|-
| 1995 || ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''||
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Super Mario 64]]''||
|-
| 1997 || ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''||
|-
| 1998 || ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]''||
|-
| 1999 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater]]''||
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]''||
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty]]''||
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]''||
|-
| 2003 || ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]''||
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Halo 2]]''||
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Resident Evil 4]]''||
|-
| 2006 || ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess]]''||
|-
| 2007 || ''[[BioShock]]''||
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]''||
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Uncharted 2: Among Thieves]]''||
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Red Dead Redemption]]''||
|-
| 2011 || ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]''||
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Mass Effect 3]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kato |first=Matthew |date=January 1, 2013 |title=Reader Games Of The Year 2012 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/01/01/reader-games-of-the-year-2012.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313135432/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/01/01/reader-games-of-the-year-2012.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2013 || ''[[The Last of Us]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bertz |first=Matt |date=January 7, 2014 |title=Game Informer Best Of 2013 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/01/07/game-informer-best-of-2013-awards.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=January 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116012959/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/01/07/game-informer-best-of-2013-awards.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Dragon Age: Inquisition]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=January 7, 2015 |title=Game Informer Best Of 2014 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/01/07/game-informer-best-of-2014-awards.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528233752/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/01/07/game-informer-best-of-2014-awards.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2015 || ''[[The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=January 6, 2016 |title=Game Informer Best Of 2015 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/01/06/game-informer-best-of-2015-awards.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=April 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402041338/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/01/06/game-informer-best-of-2015-awards.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2016 || ''[[Overwatch (video game)|Overwatch]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=January 4, 2017 |title=Game Informer Best of 2016 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/04/game-informer-best-of-2016-awards.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=January 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105120200/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/04/game-informer-best-of-2016-awards.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2017 || ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=January 4, 2018 |title=Game Informer's Best Of 2017 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/01/04/game-informers-best-of-2017-awards.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=February 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213103643/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/01/04/game-informers-best-of-2017-awards.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2018 || ''[[God of War (2018 video game)|God of War]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=January 9, 2019 |title=Game Informer’s Best Of 2018 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/08/game-informers-best-of-2018-awards |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109015730/https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/08/game-informers-best-of-2018-awards |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2019 || ''[[Control (video game)|Control]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=January 10, 2020 |title=Game Informer Editor And Reader Best Of 2019 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/goty-2019/2020/01/10/game-informer-editor-and-reader-best-of-2019-awards |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=March 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326110406/https://www.gameinformer.com/goty-2019/2020/01/10/game-informer-editor-and-reader-best-of-2019-awards |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2020 || ''[[The Last of Us Part II]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Juba |first=Joe |date=December 22, 2020 |title=The Top 10 Games Of 2020 – #1 The Last Of Us Part II |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/goty-2020/2020/12/22/the-top-10-games-of-2020-1-the-last-of-us-part-ii |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223010059/https://www.gameinformer.com/goty-2020/2020/12/22/the-top-10-games-of-2020-1-the-last-of-us-part-ii |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2021 || ''[[Halo Infinite]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-12-15 |title=Game Informer's Top 10 Games Of 2021 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/game-informers-top-10-games-of-2021 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221212441/https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/game-informers-top-10-games-of-2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2022 || ''[[Elden Ring]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Game Informer's Top 10 Games Of 2022 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/goty-2022/2022/12/23/game-informers-top-10-games-of-2022 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103205436/https://www.gameinformer.com/goty-2022/2022/12/23/game-informers-top-10-games-of-2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2023 || ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 19, 2023 |title=Game Informer's Top 10 Games Of 2023 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/12/19/game-informers-top-10-games-of-2023 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=December 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219193559/https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/12/19/game-informers-top-10-games-of-2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2024 || ''[[Astro Bot]]''||<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=March 20, 2025 |title=Game Informer's (Belated) Top 10 Games Of 2024 Awards |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/03/20/game-informers-belated-top-10-games-of-2024-awards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250325200456/https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/03/20/game-informers-belated-top-10-games-of-2024-awards |archive-date=March 25, 2025 |access-date=March 25, 2025 |website=Game Informer |language=en}}</ref>
|}

=== Other features ===
The April edition of ''Game Informer'' includes 'an annual feature ''Game Infarcer'', an [[April Fools' Day|April Fools' Day prank]]. In the cover box head appears "World's #1 Pretend Magazine" where would ordinarily appear "World's #1 Video Game Magazine" -- "Parody" is found at the cover bottom. ''Game Infarcer'' articles are accredited to the fictional editor-in-chief Darth Clark, who is addressed in hate mail every year sent to ''Game Informer''. The heated responses to parody articles are often featured in later ''Game Informer'' issues.<ref>{{cite web |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=May 10, 2011 |title=The Return of Darth Clark |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/05/10/the-return-of-darth-clark.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091159/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/05/10/the-return-of-darth-clark.aspx |archive-date=February 12, 2017 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |work=Game Informer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=May 8, 2014 |title=Darth Clark Strikes Again |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/05/08/darth-clark-strikes-again.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091011/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/05/08/darth-clark-strikes-again.aspx |archive-date=February 12, 2017 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |work=Game Informer}}</ref>

''Game Informer'' has included four "Sacred Cow Barbecues".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=December 3, 2014 |title=Making The Fourth Inaugural Sacred Cow Barbecue Art |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/12/03/making-the-fourth-inaugural-sacred-cow-barbecue-art.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213053018/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/12/03/making-the-fourth-inaugural-sacred-cow-barbecue-art.aspx |archive-date=December 13, 2014 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop}}</ref> Similar in style to a [[Roast (comedy)|celebrity roast]], the occasion is meant to "knock some of gaming's most revered icons off their high and mighty pedestals".<ref name="GI183">Game Informer Issue 183 inFamous</ref> The first ''Sacred Cow Barbecues''  featured in issue 158 (June 2006).<ref>''Game Informer'', issue 158 (June 2006)</ref> Other issues featuring Sacred Cow Barbecues are: 183 (July 2008),<ref name="GI183" /> 211 (November 2010),<ref>''Game Informer'', issue 213 (January 2011) p. 8; {{cite magazine |last=Turi |first=Tim |date=October 6, 2010 |title=November Cover Revealed: Resistance 3 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/10/06/november-cover-revealed-resistance-3.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008222656/http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/10/06/november-cover-revealed-resistance-3.aspx |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop}}</ref> and 261 (January 2015).<ref name="SCB">{{cite magazine |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=February 3, 2015 |title=Sacred Cow Barbecue Strikes Again |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/02/03/sacred-cow-barbecue-strikes-again.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207070153/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/02/03/sacred-cow-barbecue-strikes-again.aspx |archive-date=February 7, 2015 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop}}</ref> ''Sacred Cow Barbecues'' articles are considered controversial among those gamers who are not amused by their favorite games being mocked.<ref name="SCB" />