How do YOU define an AAA game?

[FelmanX]

Perhaps we should start by eliminating what does not describe a AAA game?

Percentage points are out.
Why?
Ratchet and Clank is considered a AAA title, yet only Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal rank 90%+
Also, re-releases tend to rank lower than previous titles. Under the 90%+ Dead or alive 2 and Ninja Gaiden would be ranked AAA but Dead or Alive Ultimate and Ninja Gaiden Sigma would not be. The re-releases are the same game with better graphics and more content, surely they would be more AAA than their predecessors.

Sales are out.
Why?
Crap games get huge sales too. Wii Play, 50 Cent, Mario and Sonic. I could go on and on. Also, sales tends to favor multiplatform releases, since they're more likely to sell more than exclusive games. Do you think Madden (pick one) is better than Bioshock? Under the sales rule it would be.

That leaves us with few options. I'd guess that Fun would be what determined AAA status or not. Sure, fun games almost always score high, but they're not guaranteed to hit the 90%+. Resistance is considered AAA, Crisis Core looks to be following suit as well. Sales do not make a game AAA. Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, are considered by the gaming media to be AAA and yet they haven't broken a million in sales. ( Shadow is at 730K, Ico less than that)