Why doesn't iTunes rank games by ratings?

[harrisbn]

As of now, iTunes only allows you to search for games based on release date or name when you click on the 'All iPod paid Apps' or 'All iPod Free Apps'. They also show their rankings of 'Top Paid Apps' or 'Top Free Apps' but that ranking it seems is affected by the length of time an app has been out there (total # of sales?). I believe there should be a way of searching for apps based on the rankings/stars that they have received from users. I have found many great games through this touchArcade website (which had hight ratings/stars) but many of these games are not even on iTunes list of top apps! I will try and find a link or place we can make this request of iTunes.

[chrisb3]

Might as well ask why demented mass murders like abandoned campgrounds in movies. ;)

Apple doesn't always do things that make sense.

[MattB]

This the primary reason why I enjoy this site so much, because the iTunes store is pretty useless when finding out what games are good and which aren't. Even if they add better sorting of games, I'll still visit here, the reviews are incredibly handy.

[sdragon]

Probably because you'd have a lot of 1 review apps (hmm, wonder who reviewed them?) at the top.

[harrisbn]

Yes, there needs to be a sort of algorithm that takes the star ratings and factors in the total number of reviewers. Also it would be helpful if iTunes checked that the reviewers actually downloaded the game.

[ldkaplan]

I agree.

It would be nice if there was a star rating here for apps. I know vbulletin gives you the ability to rate threads, but I've also encountered issues with that as well (rating the user vs. the post vs. the product).

This the primary reason why I enjoy this site so much, because the iTunes store is pretty useless when finding out what games are good and which aren't. Even if they add better sorting of games, I'll still visit here, the reviews are incredibly handy.

[mek]

This the primary reason why I enjoy this site so much, because the iTunes store is pretty useless when finding out what games are good and which aren't. Even if they add better sorting of games, I'll still visit here, the reviews are incredibly handy.

amen

i dont even bother checking the app store, cause when i do, it always looks the same, but after reading a review here, i can search for and find it

[Conner_36]

You can look at the games sorted by popularity is it helps. On the right hand side of the itunes store there should be a browse thing next to my alerts, power search, account. Or click the eye in the bottom right corner next to eject, airtunes. Then it switches into a different view mode. Click apps/games/all and add popularity to the column and then you can sort by it.

[MattB]

You can look at the games sorted by popularity is it helps. On the right hand side of the itunes store there should be a browse thing next to my alerts, power search, account. Or click the eye in the bottom right corner next to eject, airtunes. Then it switches into a different view mode. Click apps/games/all and add popularity to the column and then you can sort by it.

Popularity however doesn't sort by good games to worst, but just the amount of reviews the game has gotten. For example, iMaze which is a free game near the top when sorting by Popularity (most popular to least popular), however checking out shows that the game has an average rating of 1 star out of nearly 300 reviews, with most reviews giving the game 1 or 2 stars.

[SicMX]

+1 for some well thought out rating based sorting, the most downloaded one sucks