Jump to content

1990s in video games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 88.255.217.7 (talk) at 05:27, 16 July 2022. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

1980s . 1990s in video games . 2000s
Other topics:  Anthropology . Comics . Fashion . Music . Science and technology . Sociology . Television

The 1990s was the third decade in the industry's history. It was a decade of marked innovation in video gaming.[1] It was a decade of transition from sprite-based graphics to full-fledged 3D graphics[1] and it gave rise to several genres of video games including, but not limited to, the first-person shooter, real-time strategy, survival horror, and MMO.[1] Handheld gaming began to become more popular throughout the decade[citation needed], thanks in part to the release of the Game Boy[citation needed]. Arcade games, although still relatively popular in the early 1990s,[1] began to decline as home consoles became more common.[1]

Consoles of the 1990s

Fourth generation consoles (1987–1996)

Main article: Fourth generation of video game consoles
SNES (1990).

Starting in 1987 and ending in 1996, the fourth generation of video game consoles consisted primarily of games and systems programmed for the 16-bit era.[1] During this generation, 2D graphics had improved over the previous generation and experimentation began to occur with 3D graphics, although 3D games were more prevalent on the PC at the time. The fourth generation also was the first time compact discs were considered a viable port for video game retail sales with the CD-i. Some of the most notable systems released during this generation were the Mega Drive/Genesis (1988), the Super NES (1990) and the Neo Geo (1991).[2] Nintendo's Game Boy was also released during the fourth generation, which would later become the most popular series of handheld gaming systems during the 1990s.[3] A rivalry between Sega and Nintendo occurred during this generation, starting the 2nd major console war,[1] The 1st being between Atari 2600 & Intellivision.

Fifth generation consoles (1993–1999)

Main article: Fifth generation of video game consoles
PlayStation (1994).

Starting in 1993 and ending in 1999, the fifth generation of video games are most widely known to be the 32/64 bit era and for being the transition period for video games to evolve into the third dimension.[citation needed] The Nintendo 64 (1996), PlayStation (1994), and Sega Saturn (1994) are considered to be the big three gaming systems of this generation.[citation needed] With the introduction of the PlayStation and Saturn, compact discs (CDs) began to replace cartridges however Nintendo continued using them with the Nintendo 64 due to the load times on CDs at the time and became one of the last cartridge based systems in mass production.[citation needed]

Early sixth generation console

Main article: Sixth generation of video game consoles
Dreamcast (1999).

The sixth generation was initiated by the release of the Dreamcast in 1999.[4] It introduced several innovations including Internet gaming as a standard feature through its built-in modem, and a web browser. It was also the first home console to always display full SD resolution. Despite its early success, the Dreamcast was discontinued prematurely as sales slowed following the release of the PlayStation 2 on March 4, 2000.

Technological innovation

Introduction of 3D polygons and environments

There was a "3D Revolution" in the 1990s, where video games made the transition from 2D and pseudo-3D graphics to real-time 3D polygon graphics, a trend popularized by 3D arcade video games in the early 1990s.[5][6] This transition was largely driven by a technological arms race between two of the largest arcade game manufacturers, Sega and Namco, during the early-to-mid-1990s.[7] The Namco System 21 which was originally developed for racing games in the late 1980s was adapted by Namco for new 3D action games in the early 1990s, such as the rail shooters Galaxian 3 (1990) and Solvalou (1991).[5] Sega responded with the Sega Model 1,[7] which further popularized 3D polygons with Sega AM2 games including Virtua Racing (1992) and the fighting game Virtua Fighter (1993),[8][6] especially popularizing 3D polygon human characters.[9] Namco then responded with the Namco System 22,[7] capable of 3D polygon texture mapping and Gouraud shading, used for Ridge Racer (1993).[10] The Sega Model 2 took it further with 3D polygon texture filtering, used by 1994 for racers such as Daytona USA,[11] fighting games such as Virtua Fighter 2,[12] and light gun shooters such as Virtua Cop.[13][14] Namco responded with 3D fighters such as Tekken (1994) and 3D light gun shooters such as Time Crisis (1995),[5] the latter running on the Super System 22.[7] Other arcade manufacturers were also manufacturing 3D arcade hardware by this time, including Midway Games, Konami and Taito.[15]

On home consoles, the success of Sega's Virtua Fighter in the arcades inspired Sony to develop the PlayStation (released 1994) as a 3D-focused hardware, rather than a 2D-focused hardware as they had originally planned.[16] Super Mario 64 (1996) is said to be one of the most revolutionary video games. It was praised for how it took to 3D environments of wide open spaces and graphics at the time.[17] Many games that moved onto 3D also tried to mimic Mario's success. Instead of pixels, polygons became a standard sight to be in video games from then on as they looked more lifelike when programmed into the right shapes. Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider series became the first video game sex symbol[citation needed], becoming a recognizable figure in the entertainment industry throughout the late 1990s.

On personal computers, id Software's Doom (1993) is widely credited as the origin of modern first-person shooter (FPS) video games. Some people give this credit to id's Wolfenstein 3D (1992), as it was released roughly a year and a half earlier than Doom, but was not nearly as popular. Wolfenstein 3D was one of the first video games to feature ray casting with texture mapping, where graphical textures are wrapped around 3D objects. They were succeeded by id's Quake (1996), which made the transition from ray casting to 3D polygon graphics.

Optical disc storage

Nearly every system released in the mid-late 1990s began to move to the new CD-ROM technology, with the Nintendo 64 being the last major home video game console to use ROM cartridges. Also appealing to publishers was the fact that CDs could be produced at significantly less expense and with more flexibility (it was easy to change production to meet demand), and they were able to pass the lower costs onto consumers. In particular, the fifth generation marked a turning point for optical-based storage media. As games grew more complex in content, sound, and graphics, the CD proved more than capable of providing enough space for the extra data. The cartridge format, however, was pushed beyond the limits of its storage capacity. Consequently, many game developers shifted their support away from the Nintendo 64 to the PlayStation.

Memory cards

Due to CD-ROMs lacking the built-in memory of ROM Cartridges, the Sony PlayStation introduced the use of memory cards to store saved game data. This became the standard for video game consoles until it was replaced by the use of hard drives and built-in flash memory during the seventh generation in the late first decade of the 21st century.

Game controllers

Nintendo 64 controller (1996).
Ergonomics

The Super NES controller introduced a more rounded dog-bone like design and added two more face buttons, "X" and "Y", arranging the four in a diamond formation. Another addition was the "L" and "R" shoulder buttons, which have been imitated by most controllers since.

The PlayStation controller was the first standard operating device for a home console to use two handle-bars at the bottom of the controller whereas previously this feature had been relegated to niche specialist controllers. This has been standard in most game controllers since, until the Wii appeared.

The Virtual Boy Controller was a controller which utilized dual joypads similar to how analog sticks functioned in later "dual control" sixth-generation systems. The presence of two pads was an effort to control objects in a 3D environment (one pad controlling pitch and turning while the other controlling forward movement and strafing).

Analog stick
Main article: Analog stick

An analog stick sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a game controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation to the default "center" position. While D-pads and digital sticks rely on single electrical connections for movement (using internal digital electrical contacts for up, down, left and right), analog sticks use continuous electrical activity running through potentiometers to measure the exact position of the stick within its full range of motion. In 1996 Nintendo introduced the first analog thumbstick on the Nintendo 64 controller. It was subsequently followed during the fifth generation by the 3D Control Pad (packaged with Nights into Dreams...), the Sony Dual Analog gamepad which introduced the use of two analog sticks, and the Sony DualShock. Since then, all major video game console controllers have included two analog thumbsticks, except for the Wii's "Wii-mote".

Force feedback
Main article: Haptic technology

The optional Rumble Pak for the Nintendo 64 controller introduced the use of haptic force feedback technology in gaming. It was later followed by the DualShock controller for the PlayStation which had built-in haptic feedback. Since then, built-in force feedback has become standard for most game controllers.

Pressure-sensitive button

The use of pressure-sensitive buttons was introduced by the Dreamcast in 1999. It has trigger-like shoulder buttons, similar to the earlier Nintendo 64 controller, but the main difference being that DreamCast controller's shoulder buttons are pressure-sensitive. Since then, most game controllers have included pressure-sensitive buttons.

Online gaming

The rapid availability of the Internet in the 1990s led to an expansion of Online games, Video game consoles also began to receive online networking peripherals, such as the Satellaview (1995), SegaNet (1996). Online gaming, which had been the exclusive domain of PC games, became prominent in video game consoles starting with Dreamcast online functionality in 1999 with its built in modem, internet browsing software, and ability to play certain games online. Nearly all consoles since released then have had support for online gaming.

Genre innovation

Many technically innovative and genre-defining games were developed during the 1990s, largely due to the impact of 3D graphics allowing three-dimensional environments as well as optical discs which allowed much greater storage capacity.

Fighting games

Main article: Fighting game

The release of Street Fighter II in 1991 is often considered a revolutionary moment in the fighting game genre. Yoshiki Okamoto's team developed the most accurate joystick and button scanning routine in the genre thus far. This allowed players to reliably execute multi-button special moves, which had previously required an element of luck. The game was also highly successful because its graphics took advantage of Capcom's CPS arcade chipset, with highly detailed characters and stages. Whereas previous games allowed players to combat a variety of computer-controlled fighters, Street Fighter II allowed players to play against each other. The popularity of Street Fighter II surprised the gaming industry, as arcade owners bought more machines to keep up with demand.[18]

SNK released Fatal Fury: King of Fighters a few months later,[19] adding a two-plane system where characters could step into the foreground or background. Meanwhile, Sega experimented with Dark Edge, an early attempt at a 3D fighting game where characters could move in all directions. Sega however, never released the game outside Japan because it felt that unrestrained 3D fighting games were unenjoyable. Several fighting games achieved greater commercial success, including SNK's Art of Fighting and Samurai Shodown as well as Sega's Eternal Champions. Nevertheless, Street Fighter II remained the most popular,[20] spawning a special Champion Edition that improved game balance and allowed players to use additional characters.[18] The popularity of Street Fighter II led it to be released for home game consoles and allowed it to define the template for fighting games.[18][20]

Sega began to attract attention with the 1993 release of Virtua Fighter in arcades. It was the first fighting game with 3D polygon graphics and a viewpoint that zoomed and rotated with the action. Despite the graphics, players were confined to back and forth motion as seen in other fighting games. By the time the game was released for the Sega Saturn in Japan, the game and system were selling at almost a one-to-one ratio.[20] In 1994, SNK released The King of Fighters '94 in arcades, where players choose from teams of three characters to eliminate each other one by one.[21] A follow-up to Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha, was released in 1995 but was unable to match the popularity of its predecessor.[18] Throughout this period, the fighting game was the dominant genre in competitive video gaming, with enthusiasts popularly attending arcades in order to find human opponents.[22]

The fighting game genre continued to evolve as several strong 3D fighting games emerged in the late 1990s. Namco's Tekken (released in arcades in 1994 and on the PlayStation in 1995) proved critical to the PlayStation's early success, with its sequels also becoming some of the console's most important titles. In 1992, Mortal Kombat became a popular fighting game due to its sprites being real people digitalized into the game with graphic and controversial depictions of violence, most notably, the fatalities.[23] The Soul series of weapon-based fighting games also achieved considerable critical success, beginning with 1995's Soul Edge.[24][25] Tecmo's Dead or Alive (released in 1996 in Japanese arcades and 1998 on the PlayStation) spawned a long-running franchise, known for its fast-paced control system and innovative counterattacks. The series again included titles important to the success of their respective consoles.[26][27][28]

First-person shooters

Main article: First-person shooter

The first-person shooter (FPS) typically features the player as the protagonist. Most often the player does not see the face of who they are playing, but will always see the weapon of choice located in the players hand in the lower left or right hand corner. FPSs are usually violent and feature blood and gore, which has sparked controversy from parent groups.

With the introduction of the fifth generation of games, 3-D graphics become the standard by end of decade. Although FPSs had been some of the first games to become 3-D.

In 1992 Wolfenstein 3d is released, creating interest in what FPS games could become. Doom (1993) bursts onto the world scene and instantly popularizes the FPS genre, and even how games are played, as Doom is among the first games to feature multiplayer capabilities. It was Goldeneye 007 (1997), that introduced an engine that made development of first-person shooters for home consoles a practical idea. It is not until Quake (1996), however, that game developers begin to take multiplayer features into serious consideration when making games. Quake II (1997), Unreal (1998) and Half-Life (1998) feature the next evolutionary step in the genre with continual progression of the game (no levels in the traditional sense) and an entirely in-person view, and become one of the most popular video games in history.

Interactive movies

Main article: Interactive movie

In the early-to-mid-1990s, several video game developers experimented with plot twists and providing alternative storylines and endings into their games. They even went as far as to film live action scenes and scripted popular actors to play the parts. Night Trap, released in 1992, was highly acclaimed for implementing live action scenes into video games and later the Wing Commander series dove into live action as well. Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom was given an unheard of budget of US$12 million and starred Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame. The Wing Commander series was known for providing several alternate endings depending on how the player followed the story and interacted with the characters.

Platform games

Main article: Platform game

The platform game genre evolved through several distinct phases throughout the 1990s. The first was an evolutionary step during the fifth generation in the early 1990s, followed by a complete transformation of the genre during the sixth generation in the late 1990s.

Second-generation side-scrollers

The advent of 16-bit home consoles in the early 1990s marked an evolutionary step for the genre. By the time the Mega Drive and Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched, platform games were the most popular genre in home console gaming and were seen as vital for winning the console war. There was a particular emphasis on having a flagship platform title exclusive to a format, featuring a "mascot" character. Sega's Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle (1989) was only modestly successful, and Sega realized would need a stronger mascot to move Genesis units. In 1990, Hudson Soft released Bonk's Adventure featuring a character that would be positioned as NEC's mascot.[29]

1990 marked the release of the Super NES, along with the much awaited Super Mario World. In order to fend off the new competition, Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog.[30][31] Whereas Nintendo's offering featured a conservative design, true to the Mario tradition, Sonic showcased a new style of design made possible by a new generation of hardware. Sonic featured large fields that scrolled effortlessly in all directions, as well as all manner of uneven terrain, curved hills, and a complex physics system that allowed players to rush through its levels with well-placed jumps and rolls. It proved to be a massive hit, was a successful pack-in with new systems, and cemented the view that platform games would make or break a console.

The Sonic character was also seen as a new model for mascots in the early 1990s, particularly for his perceived "attitude," which characterized him as a rebel from the status quo. This "attitude" would soon become the status quo, as companies attempted to duplicate Sonic's success with their own brightly colored anthropomorphisms.[32] Very frequently these were characterized by impatience, sarcasm, and frequent quipping to give them personality. These mascots, which included the likes of Gex, Bug!, and Bubsy, have mostly faded from relevance.

3D platformers

In 1996, Nintendo released Super Mario 64. Until this time there had been no established archetype for bringing platform games into 3D. Mario 64 set a new standard and would be imitated by many 3D platformers to follow. Its gameplay allowed players to explore open 3D environments with greater freedom than any previous attempt at a 3D platform game. To aid this, Nintendo incorporated an analog control stick to their standard Nintendo 64 controller, something which had not been included in a standard console controller since the Vectrex (and since incorporated into the DualShock among other controllers). This allowed for the finer precision needed for a free perspective. Players no longer followed a linear path to the ends of levels, either, with most levels providing objective-based goals. There were, however, a handful of "boss" levels that offered more traditional platforming, and showed what a more direct conversion to 3D might have been like.

Some argue that many modern 3D platformers, especially those influenced heavily by Super Mario 64, are not platformers at all, or at least are not really an extension of 2D platformers.[33] Super Mario 64 brought a change in the goals of some platformers. In most 2D platformers, the player only had to reach a single goal to complete a level, but in many 3D platformers, each level had to be combed for collectible items such as puzzle pieces (Banjo-Kazooie) or stars (Super Mario 64). This allowed for more efficient use of large 3D areas and rewarded the player for thorough exploration, but they also often involved more elements of action-adventure games, and less jumping on platforms.

Racing games

Main article: Racing video game

In 1992, Sega produced Virtua Racing, one of the first games with full 3D graphics. It was able to combine the best features of games at the time, along with multiplayer machine linking and clean 3D graphics to produce a game that was above and beyond the arcade market standard of its time. Also, Nintendo broke new ground by introducing the Mario Kart series on the SNES with Super Mario Kart. Using the familiar characters from the Mario franchise, the game not only departed from the realism paradigm by using small karts for the players to drive, but also featured bright, colorful environments and allowed the players to pick up power-ups to improve performance or hamper other racers. This franchise also spawned multiple sequels such as Mario Kart 64 which would release on the N64 making the first Mario Kart game to feature 3D computer graphics while still using pre-rendered sprites for the characters and items.

In 1993, Namco struck back with Ridge Racer, and thus began the polygonal war of driving games. Sega struck back in 1994 with Daytona USA, while Midway introduced Cruis'n USA. Atari didn't join the 3D craze until 1997, when it introduced San Francisco Rush. In 1996, Konami introduced GTI Club which allowed free roaming of the environment – something of a revolution that had only been done in 3D before in Hard Drivin'.

In 1997, Gran Turismo was released for the PlayStation. It was considered the most realistic racing simulation game in its time, combined with playability, enabling players of all skill levels to play. The Gran Turismo series has since become one of the most popular racing franchises ever, with the series selling more than 50 million copies worldwide. Colin McRae Rally was introduced in 1998 to the PC world, and was a successful semi-simulation of the world of rally driving (previously only available in Sega's less serious Sega Rally Championship). Motorhead, a PC game, was later adapted back to arcade.

1999 marked a change of games into more "free form" worlds. Midtown Madness allows the player to explore a simplified version of the city of Chicago using a variety of vehicles and any path that they desire. In the arcade world, Sega introduced Crazy Taxi, where players assume the role of a taxi driver that needs to get clients to their destination in the shortest amount of time. A similar game also from Sega is Emergency Call Ambulance, with almost the same gameplay (pick up patient, drop off at hospital, as fast as possible).

Role-playing games

The 1990s saw the emergence of several distinct subgenres of the role-playing video game genre.

Action role-playing games
Main article: Action role-playing game

1990 would see the release of Crystalis for the Nintendo Entertainment System and also Golden Axe Warrior for the Master System. Both games featured Zelda-like gameplay blended with genuine RPG elements, such as experience points, statistics-based equipment, and a magic-casting system. In 1991, Square released Seiken Densetsu for the Game Boy, also known as Final Fantasy Adventure in the West. Like Crystalis, the action in Seiken Densetsu bore a strong resemblance to that of Zelda, but added more RPG elements. Seiken Densetsu 2, also known as Secret of Mana, implemented an innovative multiplayer function, and further developed its combat with more diverse weaponry and spell-casting.

Unique among video games are Capcom's Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom (1993) and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara (1996). These games were released for the arcades, and featured a blending of beat 'em up and RPG characteristics. The games were later released for the Sega Saturn together as the Dungeons & Dragons Collection (1999). Several later beat 'em ups followed this same formula, including Guardian Heroes, Castle Crashers and Dungeon & Fighter.

In Japan on Super Famicom, Tales of Phantasia was released in Japan in 1995, featuring real-time side-scrolling combat mode and an exploration mode similar to classic console RPGs. In 1996, Star Ocean was released that also has real-time combat and classic exploration but features bird's eye view. Namco and Enix did not publish these two revolutionary titles in America, even though sequels in the two series would become wildly popular on future generations of consoles in the US. Fifth generation era saw several popular action RPGs, such as Tales of Eternia, Brave Fencer Musashi and Legend of Oasis. In 1996 Nintendo released Super Mario RPG, for the SNES . Super Mario RPG was the first role playing game in the series and it launched to critical acclaim. It spawned two spiritual successors, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi

On personal computers, the long-standing Ultima series of action RPGs continued to see releases, while the 3D action RPG franchise The Elder Scrolls, which would provide several major entries to the genre in the 2000's, saw its first releases.

The rogue-like genre lost much of its relevance, with only Diablo, which implemented the idea in a simplified and more forgiving way, achieving mainstream success.

Japanese video game company From Software released several entries to the King's Field series, which received mixed reviews and little attention both in the 90's and later, but whose elements would later be recycled in the genre-defining Dark Souls games.

Role-playing video games
Main article: Role-playing video game

It was in the early 1990s that the console role-playing video game genre distinguished itself greatly from computer RPGs, with the Final Fantasy series playing an instrumental role. Final Fantasy III introduced the "job system", a character progression engine allowing the player to change a character's class, as well as acquire new and advanced classes.[34][35] Final Fantasy IV (1991) was one of the first role-playing games to feature a complex, involving plot,[36] placing a much greater emphasis on character development and pioneering "the whole concept of dramatic storytelling in an RPG."[37] It also introduced a new battle system: the "Active Time Battle" system, developed by Hiroyuki Ito,[38] where the time-keeping system does not stop.[39] Square Co., Ltd. filed a United States patent application for the ATB system on March 16, 1992, under the title "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same" and was awarded the patent on February 21, 1995. On the battle screen, each character has an ATB meter that gradually fills, and the player is allowed to issue a command to that character once the meter is full.[40] The fact that enemies can attack or be attacked at any time is credited with injecting urgency and excitement into the combat system.[39] Both the "job system" and the ATB system were fully developed in Final Fantasy V (1992) and continued to be used in later Final Fantasy games[41] as well as other Square games such as Chrono Trigger (1995). Final Fantasy VI (1994) and the Megami Tensei series were some of the first RPGs to move away from the typical medieval setting, with Final Fantasy VI instead being set in a steampunk environment[42] and the Megami Tensei games set in modern-day Japan.

The next major revolution came in the late 1990s, which saw the rise of optical disks in fifth generation consoles. The implications for RPGs were enormous—longer, more involved quests, better audio, and full-motion video. This was first clearly demonstrated by Final Fantasy VII (1997). The explosion of Final Fantasy VII's sales and the ascendance of the PlayStation were proof of this and represented the dawning of a new era of RPGs. Backed by a clever marketing campaign, Final Fantasy VII brought the first taste of CRPGs to many of the new gamers brought in by the PlayStation gaming console.[43][44] Subsequently, CRPGs, previously a niche genre, skyrocketed in popularity.

In 1997, a new Internet fad began, influenced by the popularization of console RPGs. A large group of young programmers and aficionados began creating and sharing independent CRPG games, emulating the gameplay and style of the older Super NES and Genesis games. The majority of such games owe their achievement to simplistic software development kits such as the Japanese RPG Maker series.

In the final years of the 90's, US companies Interplay (through developer Black Isle Studios) and Bioware published several roleplaying games with similar gameplay, which are considered milestone classics of the genre. Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate were games with a Dungeons & Dragons license, while Interplay's Fallout was an unofficial successor to Wasteland from the 80's, and would be rebooted 10 years later to new critical acclaim.

MUDs and MMORPGs
Main articles: MUD and Massively multiplayer online role-playing game

1989 and the early 1990s saw the release and spread of the MUD codebases DikuMUD and LPMud, leading to a tremendous increase in the proliferation and popularity of MUDs. Before the end of the decade, the evolution of the genre continued through "graphical MUDs" into the first massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs),[45] a term coined by Richard Garriott in 1997.[46] That genre, as currently defined, began with Meridian 59 in 1995, but first truly came into its own with Ultima Online in 1997, a game that provided a core idea of what later MMORPGs would become, featuring a massive continent on which players could interact with others from around the world, fight mythical creatures, and cast spells. After earlier games broke ground, widespread popularity for MMORPGs arrived with the debut of EverQuest and Asheron's Call in 1999. MMORPGs would become a common form of social interaction in the 2000s.[47]

Tactical role-playing games
Main article: Tactical role-playing game

In 1990, Nintendo released and published the first tactical RPG, Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi for the Family Computer (or Famicom) in Japan, co-developed with Intelligent Systems. Released in Japan in 1990, Fire Emblem was an archetype for the whole genre, establishing gameplay elements that are still used in tactical CRPGs today (although some of these elements were influenced by Ultima III). Combining the basic console RPG concepts from games like Dragon Quest and simple turn-based strategy elements, Nintendo created a hit, which spawned many sequels and imitators.

Among the first imitators was Langrisser by NCS/Masaya, first released for the Mega Drive in 1991. It was localized for North American release under the title Warsong, with a few graphical alterations. The Langrisser series differed from Fire Emblem in that it used a general-soldier structure instead of controlling main characters. Master of Monsters was a unique title by SystemSoft. Where Langrisser and Fire Emblem used a square-based grid, Master of Monsters used a hexagonal grid. Players could choose one of four different Lords to defend their Towers and areas on the grid by building an army of creatures to destroy the opposing armies.

The first game in the long-running Super Robot Wars series is another early example of the genre, released for the Game Boy in 1991. Another influential early tactical RPG was Sega's Shining Force for the Genesis, which was released in 1992. Shining Force used even more console RPG elements than earlier games, allowing the player to walk around towns and talk to people and buy weapons. One game released solely in Japan for the Super Famicom (SFC), Bahamut Lagoon, began Square's (now Square Enix) famous line of tactical RPGs.

Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen was released for the Super NES and is more of a real-time strategy game in which the player forms role-playing video game-like character parties that are moved around a map in real-time. When two parties meet, the combat plays out with minimal user interaction. A later release, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, was originally a SNES game that was later ported to the PlayStation. Tactics Ogre is a much more direct influence on the sort of tactical RPGs that gamers recognize today such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. It was also the first to bear the name "Tactics" in the title, a term gamers would come to associate with the genre. Not only are characters moved individually on a grid, but the view is isometric, and the order of combat is calculated for each character individually. The game defined the genre in many ways.

Stealth games

Main article: Stealth game

While stealth elements have been present in video games as far back as 005, a 1981 video game by Sega,[48][49][50] it was in the 1990s that the stealth game genre was established. Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake was released in 1990 for the MSX2 and was a major improvement over its predecessor, Metal Gear (1987). Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake improved on the first game in many ways, including improved graphics, more player abilities (such as crouching, crawling into hiding spots, disguising in enemy uniforms and cardboard boxes, and distracting guards by knocking on surfaces), improved enemy AI (such as a greater field of vision, the ability to detect various noises, and a three-level security alert), and additions such as a radar, as well as a complex storyline.[51][52] The game was only released for the MSX2 in Japan, however, which limited its accessibility to consumers in the US.[53] An alternative Metal Gear sequel named Snake's Revenge was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America and Europe instead, also in 1990. Kojima was not involved in the game's development, which was instead conducted by another Konami team.[53]

1998 is seen as a turning point in gaming history because of the release of Metal Gear Solid, as well as Tenchu: Stealth Assassins and Thief: The Dark Project.[54][55] The ninja-themed game Tenchu: Stealth Assassins was released several months before Metal Gear Solid, making it the first 3D stealth based-game.[56] The highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid transformed its modestly successful franchise into a large mainstream success. The increased power of the PlayStation console over previous platforms allowed for greater immersion in terms of both story and game environment.[53] Metal Gear Solid has been credited with popularizing the stealth genre.[57][58] The core elements of these games, such as avoiding confrontation, minimizing noise, and attacking antagonists from "the shadows", influenced many future stealth game series.[59]

Survival horror

Main article: Survival horror

While elements of the survival horror genre can be traced back to the 1989 Capcom game Sweet Home, which served as a major influence on the genre,[60] it was in the 1990s that survival horror was established as a genre. Another precursor appeared in 1992 when Infogrames released Alone in the Dark, which is also considered a forefather of the genre.[61] The game featured a lone protagonist against hordes of monsters, and made use of traditional adventure game challenges such as puzzle-solving and finding hidden keys to new areas. Graphically, Alone in the Dark utilized static prerendered camera views that were cinematic in nature. Although players had the ability to fight monsters as in action games, players also had the option to evade or block them.[62]

The term "survival horror" was first used by Capcom to market their 1996 release, Resident Evil, thus establishing it as a genre.[63][64] The game was influenced by Capcom's Sweet Home, released seven years earlier.[60] Resident Evil also adopted several features seen in Alone in the Dark, including puzzle-solving challenges and fixed cinematic camera angles.[62] The control scheme in Resident Evil also became a staple of the genre, and future titles would imitate its challenge of rationing highly limited resources and items.[65] The game's commercial success is credited with helping the PlayStation become the dominant game console,[62] and also led to a series of Resident Evil films.[66] Many games have tried to replicate the successful formula seen in Resident Evil, and every subsequent survival horror game has arguably taken a stance in relation to it.[66]

Silent Hill (1999) drew heavily from Resident Evil while using realtime 3D environments in contrast to Resident Evil's pre-rendered graphics.[67] The game was praised for moving away from B movie horror elements to the psychological style seen in art house or Japanese horror films,[66] due to the game's emphasis on a disturbing atmosphere rather than visceral horror.[68] The original Silent Hill is considered one of the scariest games of all time.[69]

Notable video-game franchises established in the 1990s

Notes:

  • 1Game franchises that also accompany major film or television franchises.
  • 2Game franchises that are considered spin-offs of previously established

Financial performance

Highest-grossing arcade games of the decade

See also: List of highest-grossing arcade games

The following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of each year in the 1990s, in terms of coin drop earnings.

Highest-grossing arcade games of the 1990s
Year Market Title Developer Manufacturer Genre Revenue Inflation Ref
1990 Japan Final Fight Capcom Capcom Beat 'em up Un­known Un­known [70]
United States Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Konami Konami Beat 'em up Un­known Un­known [71]
1991 Worldwide Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Capcom Capcom Fighting Un­known Un­known [72]
1992
1993 Worldwide Street Fighter II Capcom Capcom Fighting $1,500,000,000 $3,300,000,000 [73]
1994 Japan Super Street Fighter II X: Grand Master Challenge Capcom Capcom Fighting Un­known Un­known [74]
Virtua Fighter Sega AM2 Sega Fighting Un­known Un­known [75]
United States Daytona USA Sega AM2 Sega Racing Un­known Un­known [76]
Mortal Kombat II Midway Midway Fighting
1995 Japan Virtua Fighter 2 Sega AM2 Sega Fighting Un­known Un­known [77][78]
United States Daytona USA Sega AM2 Sega Racing Un­known Un­known [79][80]
Neo Geo MVS SNK SNK System
Mortal Kombat 3 Midway Midway Fighting
1996 Japan Street Fighter Zero 2 (Street Fighter Alpha 2) Capcom Capcom Fighting Un­known Un­known [81]
Virtua Fighter 2 / 2.1 Sega AM2 Sega Fighting Un­known Un­known [82]
1997 Japan Virtua Fighter 3 Sega AM2 Sega Fighting Un­known Un­known [83]
Print Club 2 Atlus Sega Purikura Un­known Un­known [84]
1998 Japan Tekken 3 Namco Namco Fighting Un­known Un­known [85][86]
1999 Japan Virtua Striker 2 ver. 98 / 99 Sega AM2 Sega Sports Un­known Un­known [87]
1990s Worldwide Street Fighter II Capcom Capcom Fighting $5,310,000,000+ $11,900,000,000+ [88]

Best-selling home video games of the decade

The following table lists home video games of the 1990s that sold at least 5 million copies.

Best-selling home video games of the 1990s (as of 2017)
Title Units sold Initial release date Platform(s) Genre(s) Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref
Pokémon Red / Green / Blue / Yellow 46.02 million February 27, 1996 Game Boy Role-playing Game Freak Nintendo [a]
Pokémon Gold / Silver 23.1 million November 21, 1999 Game Boy Color Role-playing Game Freak Nintendo [90]
Super Mario World 20.61 million November 21, 1990 SNES Platformer Nintendo EAD Nintendo [91]
Lemmings 20 million February 14, 1991 Multi-platform Puzzle DMA Design Psygnosis [92]
Sonic the Hedgehog 15 million June 23, 1991 Mega Drive/Genesis Platformer Sonic Team Sega [93][94]
Street Fighter II 14.05 million June 10, 1992 SNES, Mega Drive Fighting Capcom Capcom [95]
Super Mario 64 11.91 million June 23, 1996 Nintendo 64 Platformer Nintendo EAD Nintendo [91]
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins 11.18 million October 21, 1992 Game Boy Platformer Nintendo R&D1 Nintendo [91]
Final Fantasy VII 11.02 million January 31, 1997 PlayStation, Windows Role-playing Square Square, Sony Computer Entertainment, Eidos [b]
Gran Turismo 10.85 million December 23, 1997 PlayStation Sim racing Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment [100]
Super Mario All-Stars 10.55 million July 14, 1993 SNES Platformer Nintendo EAD Nintendo [91]
Dr. Mario 10.19 million July 27, 1990 Game Boy, NES Puzzle Nintendo R&D1 Nintendo [c]
Mario Kart 64 9.87 million December 14, 1996 Nintendo 64 Kart racing Nintendo EAD Nintendo [91]
Gran Turismo 2 9.37 million December 11, 1999 PlayStation Sim racing Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment [100]
Donkey Kong Country 9.3 million November 21, 1994 SNES Platformer Rare Nintendo [103]
Super Mario Kart 8.76 million August 27, 1992 SNES Kart racing Nintendo EAD Nintendo [91]
Final Fantasy VIII 8.6 million February 11, 1999 PlayStation Role-playing Square Square, Square Electronic Arts [104]
Tekken 3 8.3 million March 26, 1998 PlayStation Fighting Namco Namco, Sony Computer Entertainment [105]
GoldenEye 007 8.09 million August 25, 1997 Nintendo 64 First-person shooter, stealth Rare Nintendo [106]
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 7.6 million November 21, 1998 Nintendo 64 Action-adventure Nintendo EAD Nintendo [107]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 7.55 million November 21, 1992 Mega Drive/Genesis Platformer Sega Sega [d]
Tomb Raider 7.1 million October 25, 1996 Multi-platform Action-adventure Core Design Eidos Interactive [113]
Metal Gear Solid 7 million September 3, 1998 PlayStation Action-adventure, stealth Konami Konami [114]
Crash Bandicoot 6.82 million September 9, 1996 PlayStation Platformer Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [115]
Tomb Raider II 6.8 million November 21, 1997 Multi-platform Action-adventure Core Design Eidos Interactive [113]
Mortal Kombat 6.5 million September 13, 1993 Consoles Fighting Midway Games Acclaim Entertainment [116]
NBA Jam 6 million March 4, 1994 Genesis, SNES Fighting Midway Games Acclaim Entertainment [117]
Tomb Raider III 5.9 million November 20, 1998 Multi-platform Action-adventure Core Design Eidos Interactive [113]
Resident Evil 2 5.77 million January 21, 1998 PlayStation Survival horror Capcom Capcom, Virgin Interactive [e]
Tekken 2 5.7 million March 29, 1996 PlayStation Fighting Namco Namco, Sony Computer Entertainment [119][120][121]
Crash Bandicoot: Warped 5.7 million October 31, 1998 PlayStation Platformer Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [122]
Super Smash Bros. 5.55 million January 21, 1999 Nintendo 64 Fighting HAL Laboratory Nintendo [123]
Pokémon Stadium 5.46 million April 30, 1999 Nintendo 64 Strategy Nintendo EAD, HAL Laboratory Nintendo [103]
Pokémon Pinball 5.31 million April 14, 1999 Game Boy Color Pinball Jupiter, HAL Laboratory Nintendo [103]
Donkey Kong 64 5.27 million November 22, 1999 Nintendo 64 Platformer, adventure Rare Nintendo [103]
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 5.19 million January 21, 1994 Game Boy Platformer Nintendo R&D1 Nintendo [103]
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back 5.17 million October 31, 1997 PlayStation Platformer Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [119][120]
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 5.15 million November 21, 1995 SNES Platformer Rare Nintendo [103]
Kirby's Dream Land 5.13 million April 27, 1992 Game Boy Action, platformer HAL Laboratory Nintendo [103]
Resident Evil 5.08 million March 22, 1996 PlayStation Survival horror Capcom Capcom, Virgin Interactive [95]
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe 5.07 million May 1, 1999 Game Boy Color Platformer Nintendo EAD Nintendo [103]

Best-selling game consoles of the decade

Best-selling video game consoles of the 1990s
Rank Manufacturer Console Type Generation Release Sales
Japan North America Europe Other regions Worldwide
1 Nintendo Game Boy / Game Boy Color Handheld 8-bit 1989 26,670,000[124] Un­known Un­known Un­known 94,360,000[125][126]
2 Sony PlayStation Home 32-bit 1994 17,280,000[127] 26,390,000[127] 28,150,000[127] — 78,140,000[127]
3 Nintendo Super NES / Super Famicom Home 16-bit 1990 17,130,000[125] 20,000,000[128] 5,280,000+[f] 900,000+[129] 48,980,000[125]
4 Sega Sega Mega Drive / Genesis Home 16-bit 1988 2,380,000[131] 20,000,000[132] 8,170,000+[g] 1,000,000+[129] 31,550,000+
5 Nintendo Nintendo 64 Home 64-bit 1996 5,290,000[125] Un­known Un­known Un­known 29,570,000[125]
6 Nintendo NES / Famicom Home 8-bit 1983 4,390,000[124] 12,000,000+[134][135][136] 7,025,000+[129][137] 340,000+[138] 23,755,000+
7 Sega Game Gear Handheld 8-bit 1990 1,980,000[124] 2,700,000+[139] 520,000+[140] Un­known 10,620,000+[141]
8 Sega Sega Saturn Home 32-bit 1994 5,750,000[124] Un­known Un­known Un­known 9,260,000[142]
9 Sega Sega Master System Home 8-bit 1985 Un­known 300,000+[139] 6,100,000+[129][137] 600,000+[138] 7,000,000+
10 Micro Genius Dendy (Famiclone) Home 8-bit 1992 — — 6,000,000[143] 6,000,000[143]
11 Sega Dreamcast Home 128-bit 1998 1,850,000[124] 1,700,000+[144] 500,000+[145] 4,050,000+
12 NEC PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 Home 16-bit 1987 3,490,000[131] 450,000+[146][147] Un­known Un­known 3,940,000+
13 Sega Sega CD / Mega-CD Home 16-bit 1991 850,000[129] 1,500,000[129] 415,000+[129] Un­known 2,765,000[129]
14 Panasonic 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Home 32-bit 1993 750,000[124] 185,000+[129] 15,000+[129] 5,000+[129] 1,320,000[148]
15 Philips CD-i Home 16-bit 1990 350,000+[129] 403,000+[129] 45,000+[129] 1,000,000[149]
16 Sega Genesis Nomad Handheld 16-bit 1995 1,000,000[150] — — — 1,000,000[150]
17 SNK Neo Geo AES Home 16-bit 1991 800,000+[151] Un­known Un­known Un­known 980,000+[151]
18 Sega Sega 32X Home 32-bit 1994 Un­known 300,000+[129] 65,000+[129] Un­known 800,000[152]
19 Nintendo Virtual Boy Handheld 32-bit 1995 140,000[148] Un­known Un­known Un­known 770,000[148]
20 SNK Neo Geo CD Home 16-bit 1994 450,000+[151] Un­known Un­known Un­known 570,000+[151]

Other

  • In the late 1990s Nintendo released their earliest Mario Party in which players competed against each other to win minigames.
  • Fighting games like Capcom's Street Fighter II, Sega's futuristic Virtua Fighter and the more violent Mortal Kombat from Acclaim prompted the video game industry to adopt a game rating system, and hundreds of knock-offs were widely popular in the mid-to-late 1990s.
  • The real-time strategy (RTS) genre is introduced in 1992 with the release of Dune II. Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994) popularizes the genre, with Command & Conquer and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness in 1995 sets up the first major real-time strategy competition and popularizes multiplayer capabilities in RTS games. StarCraft in 1998 becomes the second best-selling computer game of all time. It remains among the most popular multiplayer RTS games to this day, especially in South Korea. Homeworld in 1999 becomes the first successful 3d RTS game. The rise of the RTS genre is often credited with the fall of the turn-based strategy (TBS) genre, popularized with Civilization in 1991. The Civilization franchise is the only TBS franchise that remains popular.
  • Final Fantasy debuted (in North America) in 1990 for the NES, and remains among the most popular video game franchises, with numerous sequels, spin-offs, movies and related titles. Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, especially popularized the series.
  • Pokémon entered the world scene with the release of Pokémon Red and Green on the original Game Boy in Japan in 1996, later released as Pokémon Red and Blue for their worldwide release in 1998. It soon became popular in the US and has been adapted into an anime series and trading card game, among other media forms. Its popularity remained well into the first decade of the 21st century with several new games and spin-offs.
  • Sonic Adventure was a launch title for the Dreamcast. It featured realistic graphics, 6 stories and fast gameplay; this became the best-selling Dreamcast game, selling 2.5 million units.[153]

Notes

  1. ^ Pokémon Red/Green/Blue sold 31.38 million.[89] Pokémon Yellow sold 14.64 million.[90]
  2. ^ Final Fantasy VII:
    • PlayStation – 10,022,228
    • Windows (Eidos release) – 1 million+[99]
  3. ^ 5.34 million for the Game Boy version.[101] 4.85 million for the NES version.[102]
  4. ^ North America – 5 million as of 1996[108]
    United Kingdom – 1.4 million+ (1 million in 1992,[109] 400,000+ in 1993)[110]
    France, Germany, Spain, Austria – 750,000 as of 1992[111]
    Japan – 400,000 as of March 1993[112]
  5. ^ Resident Evil 2 (PlayStation)
    • Resident Evil 2 – 4.96 million[95]
    • Dual Shock Ver. – 810,000[118]
  6. ^ SNES sales in Western Europe
    • Belgium – 70,000 (1994)[129]
    • France – 1 million (1994)[129]
    • Germany – 1.4 million in Germany (1994)[129]
    • Italy – 200,000 (1994)[129]
    • Netherlands – 130,000 (1994)[129]
    • Spain – 630,000 (1998)[130]
    • United Kingdom – 1.05 million (1994)[129]
    • Other countries – 500,000 (1994)[129]
  7. ^ Mega Drive sales in Western Europe
    • Belgium – 160,000 (1994)[129]
    • France – 1.3 million (1994)[129]
    • Germany – 800,000 in Germany (1994)[129]
    • Italy – 400,000 (1994)[129]
    • Netherlands – 160,000 (1994)[129]
    • Spain – 450,000 (1993)[129]
    • United Kingdom – 3 million (June 1996)[133]
    • Other countries – 1.9 million (1994)[129]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "1990's The Rise of Video Games-Didi Games". Didi Games. 2014-09-25. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  2. ^ "4th Generation Vintage Hardware and Computing Consoles". VintageGameSite.com. 2007-08-19. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  3. ^ "Nintendo GameBoy – Read reviews". Archived from the original on 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
  4. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2004-02-18). "PlayStation 2 Timeline". GameSpy. IGN. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2008-03-03. 1998 – November 27th: Sega initiates the next generation of game consoles by launching Dreamcast in Japan...
  5. ^ a b c Williams, Andrew (16 March 2017). History of Digital Games: Developments in Art, Design and Interaction. CRC Press. pp. 143–6, 152–4. ISBN 978-1-317-50381-1.
  6. ^ a b Spencer, Spanner (February 12, 2008). "The Tao of Beat-'em-ups (part 2)". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c d Thorpe, Nick (March 2014). "The 90s: The Decade of Rivalries". Retro Gamer. No. 127. pp. 32–5.
  8. ^ "Virtua Racing – Arcade (1992)". 15 Most Influential Games of All Time. GameSpot. 14 March 2001. Archived from the original on 13 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Classic 1UP.com's Essential 50". 1UP.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Prescreen: Ridge Racer". Edge. No. 6 (March 1994). 27 January 1994. pp. 22–3.
  11. ^ Fahs, Travis (14 June 2012). "IGN Presents the History of SEGA". IGN. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  12. ^ "The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki: Part 1 from". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  13. ^ "Virtua Cop: The World's First Texture Mapped, Polygon Action Game With New "Model 2" 3-D Computer Graphics!". The Arcade Flyer Archive. Sega Enterprises. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Virtua Cop: SEGA's arcade shooter franchise makes a surprise appearance on N-Gage". IGN. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  15. ^ Thorpe, Nick (31 October 1999). "A New Dimension: 3D Games Take Over". Retro Gamer. PressReader. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  16. ^ Feit, Daniel (2012-09-05). "How Virtua Fighter Saved PlayStation's Bacon". Wired. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  17. ^ "IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time". ign.com. Archived from the original on 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  18. ^ a b c d "The History of Street Fighter". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-02-04. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  19. ^ Provo, Frank (2007-10-11). "Fatal Fury: King of Fighters Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-11.[dead link‍]
  20. ^ a b c "History of Sega Fighting Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-02-04. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  21. ^ "IGN: King of Fighters '94". IGN. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  22. ^ Gertsmann, Jeff (2008-10-24). "Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  23. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (1998-03-30). "Tekken 3 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  24. ^ Robertson, Ed (1997-04-03). "Soul Blade Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  25. ^ Calvert, Justin (2008-07-31). "Soulcalibur IV Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  26. ^ Kasavin, Greg (2006-01-01). "Dead or Alive 4 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  27. ^ Staff (1998-03-27). "Dead or Alive (PS)". IGN. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  28. ^ Rorie, Matthew (2006-01-09). "Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves..." GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-01-12.[dead link‍]
  29. ^ "Series Guide". Bonk Compendium. Archived from the original on 25 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-27.
  30. ^ Horowitz, Ken (2005-06-22). "History of: The Sonic the Hedgehog Series". Sega-16. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2007-01-27.
  31. ^ "Overview". Sonic Cult. Retrieved 2007-01-27.
  32. ^ Boutros, Daniel (2006-08-04). "A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
  33. ^ "Platform video games evolve". BBC. 2003-10-25. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
  34. ^ Final Fantasy III Official Website Archived 2009-06-27 at the Wayback Machine. Square Enix. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
  35. ^ Square Enix Co., ed. (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co. pp. 17–18. SLUS-00879GH.
  36. ^ Bahamut. "Reviews–Final Fantasy II". RPGFan. Archived from the original on 29 March 2006. Retrieved 2006-03-06.
  37. ^ Kasavin, Greg (2005-12-12). "Final Fantasy IV Advance Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 31 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-10.
  38. ^ "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part XIII". GameTrailers. 2007-11-02. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
  39. ^ a b Andrew Vestal (1998-11-02). "The History of Final Fantasy – Final Fantasy IV". Gamespot. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
  40. ^ US patent 5390937, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Hiroyuki Itou, "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same", issued 1995-02-21 
  41. ^ Bill Loguidice, Matt Barton (2009). Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time. Focal Press. pp. 77–92 [82]. ISBN 978-0-240-81146-8.
  42. ^ Square Co., Ltd. (1994-10-11). Final Fantasy III (Super NES). Square Soft, Inc. (NPC in Jidoor) You like art? No? Philistines!
  43. ^ "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children". October 2003. Archived from the original on August 15, 2006. Retrieved August 10, 2006.
  44. ^ Kraus, Alex (2006-08-29). "'Dirge of Cerberus' defies expectations, for better and worse". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2006-08-30.
  45. ^ Castronova, Edward (2006). Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games. University Of Chicago Press. pp. 10, 291. ISBN 978-0-226-09627-8. [pp. 10] The ancestors of MMORPGS were text-based multiuser domains (MUDs) [...] [pp. 291] Indeed, MUDs generate perhaps the one historical connection between game-based VR and the traditional program [...]
  46. ^ Safko, Ron; Brake, David (2009). The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-41155-1. Richard Garriott first coined the term MMORPG in 1997.
  47. ^ "The Daedalus Project: Social Architectures in MMOs". Nickyee.com. 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  48. ^ "005 from Sega". Popularplay. Archived from the original on July 14, 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  49. ^ 1990s in video games at the Killer List of Videogames
  50. ^ 005, Arcade History
  51. ^ Mark Ryan Sallee. "Kojima's Legacy: We reflect on the influence of Hideo Kojima's 20 years in gaming". IGN. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  52. ^ Paul Soth. "GOTW: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 2008-10-16. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
  53. ^ a b c Shoemaker, Brad (1998-09-29). The History of Metal Gear Archived October 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  54. ^ Charles Herold (2004-06-24). "GAME THEORY; First Use Your Brain, Then Unleash Your Brawn". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
  55. ^ Thomas L. McDonald (August 2004). PCs and Consoles: Unlikely Bedfellows?. Maximum PC.
  56. ^ Shane Patterson (2009-02-03), The Sneaky History of Stealth Games, GamesRadar. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  57. ^ Scott Beattie (2007). IE2007: Proceedings of the Fourth Australasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment. RMIT University.
  58. ^ Hop (2008-06-10). "Top 10 Stealth Games". GameZone. Archived from the original on August 2, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
  59. ^ Sid Shuman. "Net Ten: The 10 Most Important Modern Shooters (page 1)". games.net. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
  60. ^ a b "Top 11 Survival Horror Games: Sweet Home". UGO Networks. 2008-05-21. Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  61. ^ Jim Sterling (2008-12-08). "How survival horror evolved itself into extinction". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  62. ^ a b c Brett Todd. "A Modern History of Horror Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2007-05-18. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  63. ^ Justin Speer and Cliff O'Neill. "The History of Resident Evil". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  64. ^ "Enter The Survival Horror... A Resident Evil Retrospective," Game Informer 174 (October 2007): 132–133.
  65. ^ Jim Sterling (2008-06-09). "Fear 101: A Beginner's Guide to Survival Horror". IGN. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  66. ^ a b c Richard J. Hand (2004). "Proliferating Horrors: Survival Horror and the Resident Evil Franchise". In Steffen Hantke (ed.). Horror Film. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 117–134. ISBN 978-0-7190-7603-9.
  67. ^ Bobba Fatt (2000-11-24). "Review : Silent Hill (PlayStation)". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  68. ^ Baldric (1999-03-01). "Game Revolution Review Page – Game Revolution". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  69. ^ "Gametrailers.com – GT Countdown – Top Ten Scariest Games". GameTrailers. 2007-10-27. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  70. ^ "第4回ゲーメスト大賞 〜 インカム部門ベスト10" [4th Gamest Awards – Income Category: Best 10]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 54 (February 1991). December 27, 1990. pp. 6-24 (24). alternate url
  71. ^ "1990". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 13. December 1994. p. 84.
  72. ^ "The making of Street Fighter 2 - a video game legend" (PDF). Mega. No. 10 (July 1993). 17 June 1993. pp. 14-35 (18-21).
  73. ^ Goldstein, Jeffrey H. (1998). "Immortal Kombat: War Toys and Violent Video Games". Why We Watch: The Attractions of Violent Entertainment. Oxford University Press. pp. 53-68 (53). ISBN 978-0-19-802790-4. Its financial success was exceeded only by a video game with violence as its theme. "One single game–StreetFighter II–made $1.5 billion last year [1993]. Nothing, not even Jurassic Park, touched that success in the entertainment business," said screenwriter Michael Backes (quoted in Covington, 1994).
  74. ^ "第8回 ゲーメスト大賞" [8th Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 136 (January 1995). December 27, 1994. pp. 40–59. alternate url
  75. ^ "Best Videos '94: "Puyo Puyo", "Ridge Racer" DX" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 487. Amusement Press, Inc. 1–15 January 1995. p. 36.
  76. ^ "1994". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 13. December 1994. p. 92.
  77. ^ "第9回 ゲーメスト大賞" [9th Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 162 (January 1995). December 27, 1995. pp. 36–53. alternate url
  78. ^ ""Virtua Fighter 2" and "Virtua Cop" Top Videos" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 511. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 February 1996. p. 22.
  79. ^ "Coin Machine: Six Receive ACME Awards For Product Excellence". Cash Box. Cash Box Pub. Co. 6 April 1996. p. 26.
  80. ^ "And the Winner Is..." Next Generation. No. 17. Imagine Media. May 1996. p. 21.
  81. ^ "第10回 ゲーメスト大賞" [10th Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 188 (January-February 1997). December 27, 1996. pp. 46–63. alternate url
  82. ^ Akagi, Masumi, ed. (1 February 1997). ""Tekken 2", "Virtua Cop 2" Top Videos '96" (PDF). Game Machine. No. 534. Amusement Press, Inc. p. 26.
  83. ^ "第11回 ゲーメスト大賞" [11th Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 212 (January-February 1998). December 26, 1997. pp. 34–102. alternate url
  84. ^ Akagi, Masumi, ed. (1 February 1998). ""Tekken 3", "Virtua Fighter 3" Top Videos" (PDF). Game Machine. No. 557. Amusement Press, Inc. p. 22.
  85. ^ "第12回 ゲーメスト大賞" [11th Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 248 (January-February 1999). December 26, 1998. pp. 35–51. alternate url
  86. ^ Akagi, Masumi, ed. (1 February 1999). ""Tekken 3", "House of the Dead" Top Annual Chart" (PDF). Game Machine. No. 580. Amusement Press, Inc. p. 22.
  87. ^ Akagi, Masumi, ed. (1 February 2000). "Sega's CG Videos Top Game Charts" (PDF). Game Machine. No. 603. Amusement Press, Inc. p. 18.
  88. ^ "World of Warcraft Leads Industry With Nearly $10 Billion In Revenue". GameRevolution. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  89. ^ "'Pokken Tournament' and Pokemon's $1.5 Billion Brand". The Huffington Post. AOL. March 19, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  90. ^ a b Top 10 of Everything 2017. London, England: Hachette Book Group. October 6, 2016. p. 115. ISBN 978-0600633747. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  91. ^ a b c d e f O'Malley, James (September 11, 2015). "30 Best-Selling Super Mario Games of All Time on the Plumber's 30th Birthday". Gizmodo. Univision Communications. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  92. ^ Plunkett, Luke (August 12, 2011). "What do Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings Have In Common?". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  93. ^ Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 3/4. Event occurs at 1:21. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016.
  94. ^ Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective (Alternative Compilation Upload). Event occurs at 12:40 (Sonic 1), 14:39 (Sonic 2), 18:40 (Sonic 3/Sonic & Knuckles). Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  95. ^ a b c "Platinum Titles". Capcom. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  96. ^ "Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-". Square Enix. 2006. Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  97. ^ "2006年ゲームソフト年間売上TOP500" [2006 Game Software Annual Sales Top 500]. Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 2007 ファミ通ゲーム白書2007 [Famitsu Game Whitebook 2007] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Enterbrain. 2007. p. 387. ISBN 978-4-7577-3577-4. JPNO 21240454. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  98. ^ "2007年ゲームソフト年間売上TOP500" [2007 Game Software Annual Sales Top 500]. Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 2008 ファミ通ゲーム白書2008 [Famitsu Game Whitebook 2008] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Enterbrain. 2008. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  99. ^ Leone, Matt (January 9, 2017). "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  100. ^ a b Williams, Martyn (May 9, 2008). "Gran Turismo Series Shipments Hit 50 Million". PC World. IDG. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  101. ^ Top 10 of Everything 2017. London, England: Hachette Book Group. October 6, 2016. p. 118. ISBN 978-0600633747. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  102. ^ Terry, Paul (October 5, 2015). Top 10 of Everything 2016. New York City, New York: Hachette Book Group. p. 123. ISBN 978-1770856172. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  103. ^ a b c d e f g h CESA Games White Papers. Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association.
  104. ^ "全世界で大ヒットを記録した「FINAL FANTASY VIII」がPlayStation Store のゲームアーカイブスに登場！" (PDF). Square Enix (in Japanese). September 24, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2020. 株式会社スクウェア・エニックス（本社：東京都渋谷区、代表取締役社長：和田洋一）は、1999 年にプレイステーション専用ソフトとして発売され、全世界で累計出荷本数 860 万本を突破している「FINAL FANTASY VIII（ファイナルファンタジー エイト）」を、PlayStation Network のPlayStationStore 内、ゲームアーカイブスにて本日より配信いたします。
  105. ^ Tran, Edmond (January 23, 2017). "How Tekken 7's Arcade Roots Are Shaping Its Console Form". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  106. ^ Serafino, Jay (September 26, 2016). "10 Game-Changing Facts About the Nintendo 64". Mental Floss. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  107. ^ "March 25, 2004". The Magic Box. Archived from the original on November 26, 2005. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  108. ^ "Saturday Night". Saturday Night. Vol. 111, no. 1–5. Consolidated Press Limited. 1996. p. 92. Sonic 2 has sold 5-million copies in North America alone.
  109. ^ "Sonic: A brief history". MegaTech. No. 26 (February 1994). United Kingdom: Maverick Magazines. 20 January 1994. p. 24.
  110. ^ "Top-Selling Video Game Titles In UK — 1993 (All Formats)". Screen Digest. Screen Digest Limited: 110. 1994. 2   Sonic 2   Sega
    nb sales level at number 5 = 400,000 units
  111. ^ "Video game sales scale greater heights". Screen Digest. Screen Digest Limited: 271. 1992. Initial orders for Sonic The Hedgehog 2 game from Sega suggest it will become best-selling European title to date. First orders from UK, France, Germany, Spain and Austria totalled 1.5m units—0.75m in UK alone, worth £25m at retail.
  112. ^ "Sonic CD Slips Up" (PDF). Sega Force. No. 16 (April 1993). 4 March 1993. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-29. In other news, Sonic 2's enormous overseas success has surprisingly not been matched in Japan. (...) Sega officially claims to have sold 400,000 units.
  113. ^ a b c McWhertor, Michael (April 23, 2009). "Tomb Raider Lifetime Sales Show Off Lara Croft's Biggest Hits". Kotaku. Univision Communications. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  114. ^ "Konami Kabushiki Kaisha (Konami Corporation) Annual Report". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. March 31, 2009. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  115. ^ Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2015 Ebook. Guinness World Records. November 6, 2014. p. 52.
  116. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2000). The First Quarter: A 25-year History of Video Games. BWD Press. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-9704755-0-3. Acclaim sold approximately 6.5 million Mortal Kombat cartridges. The Genesis version, which included the original arcade fatality moves, outsold the edited-down Super NES version by nearly three-to-one
  117. ^ Ali, Reyan (22 October 2019). NBA Jam. Boss Fight Books. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-940535-20-3.
  118. ^ "FY1999 Financial Results" (PDF). Capcom Co., Ltd. May 2000. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  119. ^ a b "US Platinum Game Chart". The Magic Box. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  120. ^ a b "Japan Platinum Game Chart". The Magic Box. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  121. ^ Tamburro, Paul. "Top 5 Most Popular Fighting Games Ever". Crave Online. Archived from the original on March 6, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  122. ^ "Final Fantasy X hits 5 million, world quakes". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. July 9, 2002. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  123. ^ Hansen, Steven (October 26, 2016). "More like Mario Kart 8 million: Here are the Wii U and 3DS best-sellers". Destructoid. ModernMethod. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  124. ^ a b c d e f 小川 (Ogawa), 純生 (Sumio) (2010-12-14). "テレビゲーム機の変遷 —ファミコン、スーパーファミコン、プレステ、プレステ2、Wiiまで—" [Recent Developments in Video Game Technology in Japan — Famicom, Super Famicom, Play Station, Play Station 2 and Wii —] (PDF). 経営論集 (Keiei Ronshū) (in Japanese) (77) (published March 2011): 1-17 (2). ISSN 0286-6439. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-25. Retrieved 2021-12-06 – via Toyo University Academic Information Repository (Toyo University).
  125. ^ a b c d e "Consolidated Sales Transition by Region" (PDF). Nintendo. Nintendo Co., Ltd. September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  126. ^ "Asiaweek". Asiaweek. 1991. p. 2. Introduced in 1989, Game Boy sold 2.5 million units that year and 10 million in 1990.
  127. ^ a b c d "Cumulative Production Shipments of Hardware / PlayStation". Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sony. 31 December 2003. Archived from the original on 2004-04-22. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  128. ^ Pachter, Michael; McKay, Nick; Citrin, Nick (February 11, 2014). "Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc; Why the Next Generation Will Be as Big as Ever". Wedbush Securities. p. 36. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  129. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "Finance & Business". Screen Digest. March 1995. pp. 56–62. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  130. ^ Super Nintendo Legends (in Spanish). Game Press. May 2019. p. 17. ISBN 978-84-947303-6-8.
  131. ^ a b Tanaka, Tatsuo (August 2001). Network Externality and Necessary Software Statistics (PDF). Statistics Bureau of Japan. p. 2.
  132. ^ Strom, Stephanie (14 March 1998). "International Business: Sega Enterprises Pulls Its Saturn Video Console From the U.S. Market". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  133. ^ Millar, Stuart (June 20, 1996). "Cable channel offers Sonic the Hedgehog video game round the clock". The Guardian. p. 4. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  134. ^ "Company News: Nintendo Sales Fall Short of Goals". The New York Times. 1991-01-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  135. ^ "Nintendo cuts retail prices on video games". United Press International. January 9, 1992. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  136. ^ McNary, Dave (January 8, 1993). "Nintendo announces record 1992 sales". United Press International (UPI). Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  137. ^ a b "Europe: consoles contre micros" [Europe: consoles against microphones]. Tilt (in French). pp. 23 to 24.
  138. ^ a b 게임월드 [Game World] (in Korean). 1994.
  139. ^ a b "SEGA - Hardware Estimates". Proceedings. The Conference. 1994. p. 125.
  140. ^ "Final Sales Figures Through". Sega Pro (published 19 March 1992). April 1992.
  141. ^ "Weekly Famitsu Express". Famitsu. 11 (392). June 21, 1996. Retrieved August 2, 2019. See units sold in Japan and other regions, respectively.
  142. ^ Zackariasson, Peter; Wilson, Timothy L.; Ernkvist, Mirko (2012). "Console Hardware: The Development of Nintendo Wii". The Video Game Industry: Formation, Present State, and Future. Routledge. p. 158. ISBN 978-1138803831.
  143. ^ a b "Приставка Dendy: Как Виктор Савюк придумал первый в России поп-гаджет" [Dendy Prefix: How Viktor Savyuk Came Up With The First Pop-gadget In Russia]. The Firm's Secret (in Russian). 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  144. ^ Elkin, Tobi (February 14, 2000). "Dreamcast system brings Sega back into contention". Advertising Age. Vol. 71, no. 7. Chicago. p. 17. Retrieved 27 December 2021. Sega sold nearly 1.7 million Dreamcast systems in the U.S. from Sept. to Dec. 31, 1999
  145. ^ "500,000 European Dreamcasts Sold and Counting!". IGN. 10 December 1999. Archived from the original on 2021-12-27. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  146. ^ Nutt, Christian (12 September 2014). "Stalled engine: The TurboGrafx-16 turns 25". Game Developer. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  147. ^ Rothstein, Edward (1990-04-26). "Electronics Notebook; Adventures in Never-Never Land". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  148. ^ a b c "Weekly Famitsu Express". Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 11, no. 392. June 21, 1996. Archived from the original on 2021-10-19. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  149. ^ Elrich, David J. (October 13, 1994). "Makers of video games wage format war". The Deseret News. p. C7. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  150. ^ a b Snow, Blake (July 30, 2007). "The 10 Worst-Selling Handhelds of All Time". GamePro. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  151. ^ a b c d "Tokyorama". Consoles + (in French). No. 73. February 1998. pp. 46–7.
  152. ^ Stuart, Keith (2014). Sega Mega Drive Collected Works. Read-Only Memory. ISBN 9780957576810. Finally with regards the launch of the 32X Shinobu Toyoda of Sega of America recalls, "We had an inventory problem. Behind the scenes, Nakayama wanted us to sell a million units in the US in the first year. Kalinske and I said we could only sell 600,000. We shook hands on a compromise - 800,000. At the end of the year we had managed to shift 600,000 as estimated, so ended up with 200,000 units in our warehouse, which we had to sell to retailers at a steep discount to get rid of the inventory."
  153. ^ Boutros, Daniel (2006-08-04). "Sonic Adventure". A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games. Gamasutra. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1990s_in_video_games&oldid=1098513496"