A AAA game is a game with over 90% on gamerankings/metacritic for Western games, or a Japanese equivalent for Japanese games. Of course there is some interchangeability, but MikeB does have a point (though he's not completely right) when he questions US publications ability to review western games.

 QFT, Earthbound fits AAA and yet it sold like crap because it came out at the tail end of the SNES lifespan/had no publicity.   AAA is quality not quantity my friends.

Hm, I always considered an AAA game in terms of the marketing, because afaik it's basically a marketing term (sounds like one anyway). e.g. one where a significant investment was made. The intent is of course to be a "system seller", but I only consider the intent, so for example I would consider Lair for the PS3 to be an "AAA game" even though it was a total failure in every sense.

I think it in the same way as 45 (single) records (those black things that your grandparents listen to), possibly because of the name itself . There was an A-side and a B-side, the A-side was the "hit" and the B-side was just something to put on the other side. Not every A-side was a hit, and sometimes the B-side became a hit and the A-side went nowhere. The AAA game is thus a game that the publisher thought would be a hit, whether or not it is.

I just call games that are actually good games "good games."

AAA

Halo 3, Gears, Zelda:TP, Mario Galaxy, SSBB, Metroid

 Lies. You can't not have played Kingdom Hearts. Are you sick in the head? Have you also not played Halo, Mario, or Gran Turismo EVER? THIS IS MADNESS!!!!!!

I don’t classify games as AAA personally but you can tell a superb game from a good one.

A good game might be Super Paper Mario, while a top notch game could be Super Mario Galaxy, what the difference is I’m not quite sure. They’re both enjoyable, they’re both high quality, but I guess SMG hits top quality in every category where as SPM misses the odd top score here and there. But then surely someone could argue that Mario Galaxy has a generic story (not exactly top quality), I really don’t know.

But I don’t think AAA has much to do with sales. As people have pointed out some less than good titles sell well down to pricing, advertising, bundled items and in the case of carnival games mind control.

i dont think a game can be called AAA until it has been on the market for a few years and people utill want to buy it to play

 funny story. my mom got her car caught in the mud and she couldn't get it out lol

I define AAA video game as anything that comes close to Ocarina of Time because obviously OoT is S (reference to Fire Emblem weapon skill levels, S is the highest beyond A)

I dunno, I personally don't like the classification......

we all like games for many reasons, its hard to compare a "AAA" game like Halo, that I really can't stand, but many love, to a game I really like and will buy whenever a new sequel comes out like say Gundam games or Handheld RPGs made by Sting (riviera or yggdra union).

I think few would consider Riviera a "AAA" title, but for me It's better than Halo. Thats why I don't like subjective titles like "AAA game" because anyone can make up their own definition.