OUYA Launches to Lukewarm Early Reviews
Review scores now pouring in seemingly reflect early impressions made of the OUYA back in April.
Gadgt has accumulated the review scores stemming from the final retail release of the OUYA Android gaming console, and it's not looking pretty... for now, at least.
According to the site, the Kickstarter gadget has received an overall score of 62 out of 100. The number stems from 12 critic and 9 user review scores thus far, showing that the Associated Press is the only critic giving the console a 7.0 out of 10, and that's the highest rating. Keep in mind that some of the reviews mixed into the overall average are based on the pre-launch version, and a few that look inflated on purpose.
"I'd urge all but the most curious to wait and see ... but I'd still suggest everybody keep an interested eye on it. I honestly want it to improve, and grow into an excellent, successful platform. It's just not there right now, and it has some ways to go," states Destructoid who gave it a 6.0.
"This is a key time for OUYA, and if it secures a stronger lineup of games and smooths out some hardware glitches, it may be ready for the mainstream. Right now, it's stuck in limbo as a fun toy for hackers or those who want to explore indie games," says Mashable who also gives it a 6.0 out of 10.
For now, Gdgt has listed Associated Press (7.0), Destructoid (6.0), T3 (6.0), Mashable (6.0), Eurogamer (6.0), Digital Trends (6.0), Android Police (6.0), CBC (6.0), TechHive (5.0) and PC Mag (4.0) as a current overall review score source. Engadget (6.0) and Joystiq (6.0) are in the mix, but really shouldn't count given they were published in April.
On the user side of the reviews, there seems to be only one 9.0 review based on actual hardware. Otherwise, the other five seemingly legit reviewers give it a 7.0 rating and below, reflecting what the critics are showing thus far. On both sides of the fence, both parties seem to dislike the library the most with a 5.4 and 5.3 ranking. The average critic rating also gives graphics a 5.7 and controller(s) a 5.0. Users were a bit more gracious with a 7.1 for both.
Keep in mind these are early scores, and some of us in the press still haven't received their console. Even more, OUYA looks to be selling out across the nation, with many retailers not knowing when additional units will arrive. Meanwhile, Google is keeping a close eye on OUYA's launch and will undoubtedly incorporate the feedback this crowd-funded console will receive from critics and consumers alike for its own upcoming Android console.
That said, the OUYA just recently launched on June 25 to retail outlets, so we'll have to keep an eye on how the overall review score fluctuates over the next several months. Hopefully we'll see better scores over the next few weeks.

I hope the Ouya does well but they got off to a really bad start when their Kickstarter backers don't even have units yet and it's already being sold in retail. Many of the people who are responsible for this project existing are pretty pissed off and have turned into the biggest naysayers around. And it's all Ouya's fault since their communication sucks and they refused to admin anything ws wrong.
It can already do that.
Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euaQcXnBF60
However assuming this can run Mame (too lazy to check) and other older console games from the 2d and very early 3d days (run it "good") then it make a very cheap emu box/Arcarde box.
So you're telling me that people didn't like a piece of hardware that runs Android, yet can't install most Android apps, on which they get to sit down on their couch, in their living room, to play mobile games? Games that are running on their phones? Games that are meant to be played in 2-minute intervals, then dropped?
That's crazy, man.
Look, in all seriousness, I could have told you that it wouldn't do well. The IDEA is nice, but if you actually look at implementing it, how/when it'll be used, you see the fatal flaws.
The Ouya is not a "play your phone games on your TV" console. This is not the intent and never was.
I think mobile gaming as a whole can be quite succesful. I just can't see why the Ouya would be.
I think mobile gaming as a whole can be quite succesful. I just can't see why the Ouya would be.
When I mentioned that the success would depend on the mobile games market I wasn't referring to it's mobility because obviously it doesn't have any but the method in which the games will most likely originate from. As you have said yourself you could play Android games on the TV but why would you want to do that when you have devices that were designed for that purpose. So while I agree with you mobile gaming is successful it is only successful because it's mobile. In my opinion the games you find in the market are equal to mini games with some exceptions such as Final Fantasy among others appearing in the Google Play market. I also feel that instead of placing it against PS3/4 or Xbox 360/Xbone the system we should compare it to is the Wii. I feel that the Ouya should be targeting the younger gamer market which would put it in competition with the Wii and right now Nintendo is vulnerable.