Possibly—but the January 2026 story was a prediction about Metacritic’s user-score ranking, not a claim that Cory in the House had already passed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In a January 13 snapshot, Cory was second with a 9.4 user score while Clair Obscur had a 9.5. A later report in March put Cory in third place. Those are dated snapshots, not a verified live ranking for October 8, 2026.
What did the January 2026 Metacritic ratings show?
Kotaku reported on January 13, 2026, that the 2008 Nintendo DS game Cory in the House had risen to second place on Metacritic’s user-score chart. It had a reported user score of 9.4, just behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at 9.5. Kotaku said Cory had received roughly 30 perfect user scores in the preceding 24 hours, but it still described the game as short of first place at publication time.
![Wish Gone Amiss (Cory in the House / The Suite Life of Zack & Cody / Hannah Montana) [2007] [DVD] [PAL]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51CEp6w-18L._SL160_.jpg)
That distinction matters: the headline’s “may soon” was a forecast based on a close, fast-moving user-score race, not confirmation of a completed dethroning. Kotaku reporter Lewis Parker wrote, “There’s still a way to go before Cory in the House ultimately dethrones Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but it’s well on track at this point.” Kotaku’s January 13 report is the source for that dated score and ranking snapshot.
Did Cory later take the top spot?
The later ranking evidence in the cited reports says no—not for long, if it did. GamesRadar reported on March 2, 2026, that Resident Evil Requiem briefly reached the top of the user chart, Clair Obscur reclaimed first place, and Cory was third. That report is a later snapshot, not confirmation of Metacritic’s live ranking on October 8, 2026. GamesRadar’s March 2 account documents the reported changes.
#1 Best Overall
- Factory sealed DVD
Metacritic rankings can shift as users add ratings. Without a live check of the chart, a present-tense claim about which game is currently first—or Cory’s current position—would go beyond these dated reports.
Why were people rating a 2008 DS game so highly?
Kotaku connected Cory’s surge to a long-running ironic meme around the game and renewed attention in late December 2025 and January 2026. The outlet also said it could not pinpoint the exact reason for the new activity, and described the latest Reddit attention as apparently unengineered. That is context reported by Kotaku, not proof of a coordinated campaign or a verified explanation for every rating.
Rank #2
- Factory sealed DVD
Cory in the House is a Nintendo DS game, separate from the television series of the same name. Nintendo Life lists its North American release date as April 15, 2008. TechRadar described it as a DS cartridge and reported that its author played it on a Nintendo 3DS; that is the publication’s account, not an independent test here.
What does a high user score tell you—and what doesn’t it?
The reported 9.4 and 9.5 figures are user scores, not critic-review aggregates. They reflect different kinds of ratings and should not be read as a direct comparison of professional critical consensus. A high score on the user chart also does not, by itself, establish that the ratings represent a broad or typical player experience.
Rank #3
The reported figures are useful for understanding why the January headlines appeared: Cory was close to Clair Obscur in that user-score snapshot and was receiving fresh ratings. They do not establish that the games had comparable numbers of reviewers, that either score would remain stable, or that Cory had surpassed Clair Obscur.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the rating surge affect the game’s resale market?
It drew attention to physical copies as well. Nintendo Life reported on January 17, 2026, that sealed copies had reportedly sold for up to $399 USD during the resale spike. That is a historical report about sales during a particular burst of attention—not a current price estimate, a typical value, or a recommendation to buy. Nintendo Life’s January 17 report covers the resale interest. TechRadar’s January feature also discusses the DS cartridge and its author’s experience with the game: TechRadar’s January 16 feature.
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