1998 in video games
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1998 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as F-Zero X, Marvel vs. Capcom, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil 2, Metal Gear Solid, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Fallout 2, and Tomb Raider III, along with new titles such as Banjo-Kazooie, Dance Dance Revolution, Half-Life, Radiant Silvergun, Spyro the Dragon, StarCraft and Xenogears. In Japan, Sega released the Dreamcast which was the first console of the sixth generation and also the company's last-ever console.
The year has been retrospectively considered one of the best and most influential in video game history due to the release of numerous critically acclaimed, commercially successful and influential titles across all platforms and genres at the time.[1] The year's best-selling video game console was the PlayStation for the third year in a row. The year's most critically acclaimed title was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which remains Metacritic's highest-scoring game of all time. The year's best-selling home video game worldwide was Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Pikachu for the Game Boy, while the year's highest-grossing arcade game in Japan was Tekken 3.
Legend
| Arcade | Arcade video game | DC | Dreamcast | GB | Game Boy |
| GBC | Game Boy Color | GEN | Sega Genesis / Mega Drive | MAC | Classic Mac OS, 2001 and before |
| N64 | Nintendo 64, iQue Player | NEO | Neo Geo AES | NEOCD | Neo Geo CD |
| NES | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom | PS1 | PlayStation 1 | SAT | Sega Saturn |
| SNES | Super Nintendo / Super Famicom / Super Comboy | WIN | Microsoft Windows, all versions Windows 95 and up |
| Action | Action game | Action RPG | Action role-playing game | Action-adventure | Action-adventure game |
| Adventure | Adventure game | Business Sim | Term not found | City builder | City-building game |
| Dating sim | Dating sim | DCCG | Digital collectible card game | Fighting | Fighting game |
| FPS | First-person shooter | Music | Music video game | Platformer | Platformer |
| Puzzle | Puzzle video game | Racing | Racing game | Rhythm | Rhythm game |
| Roguelike | Roguelike, Roguelite | RPG | Role-playing video game | RTS | Real-time strategy |
| RTT | Real-time tactics | Sports | Sports video game | Stealth | Stealth game |
| Strategy | Strategy video game | Tactical RPG | Tactical role-playing game | TPS | Third-person shooter |
| Virtual pet | Virtual pet | Visual novel | Visual novel |

Hardware releases


This is a list of all the game-related hardware released in 1998.
The Fifth generation of video game consoles started off this year with the launch of Sega's Dreamcast in Japan.
Nintendo released the Game Boy Color, the successor to the original Game Boy.
| Date | System |
|---|---|
| April 14 | Game Boy LightJP[2] |
| October 21 | Game Boy ColorJP[3] |
| November 18 | Game Boy ColorNA |
| November 23 | Game Boy ColorEU |
| November 27 | DreamcastJP[4] |
| Game Boy ColorAU |
Top-rated games
Game of the Year awards
The following titles won Game of the Year awards for 1998.
| Awards | Game of the Year | Platform(s) | Publisher(s) | Genre | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESA Awards | Zelda no Densetsu: Toki no Ocarina (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) |
N64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | [5] |
| Japan Media Arts Festival | [6] | ||||
| Digitiser | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | [7] | |||
| Edge | [8] | ||||
| Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) | [9] | ||||
| Game Informer | [10] | ||||
| GamePro | [11] | ||||
| GameSpot | [12] | ||||
| Interactive Achievement Awards | [13] | ||||
| BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards | GoldenEye 007 | N64 | Nintendo | FPS | [14] |
| Video Software Dealers Association | [15][16] | ||||
| Hyper | Final Fantasy VII | PS1, WIN | Sony, Eidos | RPG | [17] |
| RPGFan | [18] | ||||
| GameSpot | Grim Fandango | WIN | LucasArts | Adventure | [19] |
| Gamest Awards | Psychic Force 2012 | Arcade | Taito | Fighting | [20] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | Metal Gear Solid | PS1 | Konami | Stealth | [21] |
| RPGFan | Lunar 2: Eternal Blue | SAT | Game Arts | RPG | [18] |
Critically acclaimed titles
Metacritic and GameRankings
Metacritic (MC) and GameRankings (GR) are aggregators of video game journalism reviews.
| Game | Publisher | Release Date | Platform | MC score | GR score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | November 21, 1998 | N64 | 99/100 | 97.54% |
| Tekken 3 | Namco | March 26, 1998 | PS1 | 96/100 | 95.8% |
| Half-Life | Sierra Entertainment | November 19, 1998 | WIN | 96/100 | 94.02% |
| Metal Gear Solid | Konami | September 3, 1998 | PS1 | 94/100 | 93.24% |
| Grim Fandango | LucasArts | October 30, 1998 | WIN | 94/100 | 92.97% |
| Resident Evil 2 | Capcom | January 21, 1998 | PS1 | 89/100 | 93.13% |
| Street Fighter Alpha 3 | Capcom | December 23, 1998 | PS1 | 93/100[25] | 90.28%[26] |
| StarCraft | Blizzard Entertainment | March 31, 1998 | WIN | 88/100 | 92.85% |
| Panzer Dragoon Saga | Sega | January 29, 1998 | SAT | N/a | 92.46% |
| Banjo-Kazooie | Nintendo | June 29, 1998 | N64 | 92/100 | 92.38% |
| Thief: The Dark Project | Eidos Interactive | December 1, 1998 | WIN | 92/100 | 89.41% |
| Baldur's Gate | Interplay Entertainment | December 21, 1998 | WIN | 91/100 | 91.94% |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | Nintendo | December 12, 1998 | GBC | N/a | 91.21% |
| International Superstar Soccer 98 | Konami | June 4, 1998 | N64 | 91/100 | 89.15% |
| Crash Bandicoot: Warped | Sony Computer Entertainment | October 31, 1998 | PS1 | 91/100 | 89.07% |
| Xenogears | Square | February 11, 1998 | PS1 | 84/100 | 90.99% |
| Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus | GT Interactive | November 17, 1998 | PS1 | 88/100 | 90.42% |
| NFL Blitz | Midway Games | September 12, 1998 | PS1 | N/a | 90.13% |
| NFL Blitz | Midway Games | September 9, 1998 | N64 | N/a | 90.02% |
| 1080° Snowboarding | Nintendo | February 28, 1998 | N64 | N/a | 89.60% |
| Battlezone | Activision | March 11, 1998 | WIN | N/a | 89.03% |
| Railroad Tycoon II | Gathering of Developers | November 2, 1998 | WIN | 89/100 | 83.15% |
| Turok 2: Seeds of Evil | Acclaim Entertainment | December 10, 1998 | N64 | 86/100 | 88.96% |
| FIFA 99 | EA Sports | October 31, 1998 | WIN | N/a | 88.87% |
| Caesar III | Sierra Entertainment | September 30, 1998 | WIN | N/a | 88.6% |
| Unreal | GT Interactive | May 22, 1998 | WIN | N/a | 88.58% |
| NBA Live 99 | EA Sports | November 10, 1998 | PS1 | N/a | 88.39% |
| R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 | Namco | December 3, 1998 | PS1 | 88/100[25] | 88.16%[26] |
| NHL 99 | EA Sports | September 30, 1998 | WIN | N/a | 88.11% |
| Wario Land II | Nintendo | March 7, 1998 | GBC | N/a | 88.04%[26] |
| Myth II: Soulblighter | Bungie | December 28, 1998 | WIN | 88/100 | 86.39% |
| Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit | Electronic Arts | March 25, 1998 | PS1 | 88/100 | 85.63% |
| Starsiege: Tribes | Sierra Entertainment | December 23, 1998 | WIN | 88/100 | 84.77% |
| Shogo: Mobile Armor Division | Monolith Productions | October 15, 1998 | WIN | 88/100 | 81.6% |
| FIFA 99 | EA Sports | October 31, 1998 | PS1 | N/a | 87.95% |
| F-Zero X | Nintendo | July 14, 1998 | N64 | 85/100 | 87.61% |
| Madden NFL 99 | EA Sports | September 23, 1998 | N64 | N/a | 87.59% |
Famitsu Platinum Hall of Fame
The following video game releases in 1998 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.[27]
| Title | Platform | Publisher | Genre | Score (out of 40) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Toki no Ocarina (Ocarina of Time) | N64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 40 |
| Tekken 3 | PS1 | Namco | Fighting | 39 |
| Sonic Adventure | DC | Sega | Platformer | 38 |
| Biohazard 2 (Resident Evil 2) | PS1 | Capcom | Survival horror | 37 |
| Metal Gear Solid | PS1 | Konami | Stealth | 37 |
| Virtua Fighter 3tb | DC | Sega | Fighting | 36 |
| Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG (Panzer Dragon Saga) | SAT | Sega | RPG | 35 |
| Neo Atlas | PS1 | Artdink | Strategy | 35 |
| Shiritsu Justice Gakuen: Legion of Heroes (Rival Schools) | PS1 | Capcom | Fighting | 35 |
| Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland | GBC | Enix | RPG | 35 |
| Beatmania | PS1 | Konami | Rhythm | 35 |
| R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 | PS1 | Namco | Racing | 35 |
| Crash Bandicoot 3 (Warped) | PS1 | Sony | Platformer | 35 |
| Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3) | PS1 | Capcom | Fighting | 35 |
Financial performance
Best-selling video game consoles
| Rank | Manufacturer | Platform | Type | Generation | Sales | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | United States | Worldwide | |||||
| 1 | Sony | PS1 | Home | 5th | 4,660,000[28] | 9,130,000[28] | 22,500,000[28] |
| 2 | Nintendo | GB / GBC | Handheld | 4th | 4,730,000[29] | 2,430,000[30] | 12,990,000[29] |
| 3 | Nintendo | N64 | Home | 5th | 1,210,000[29] | 3,881,000[31] | 7,860,000[29] |
| 4 | Nintendo | SNES | Home | 4th | 50,000[29] | 200,000[31] | 1,430,000[29] |
| 5 | Sega | DC | Home | 6th | 900,000[32] | N/a | 900,000 |
| 6 | Sega | GEN | Home | 4th | N/a | 659,000[31] | 659,000+ |
| 7 | Sega | SAT | Home | 5th | 150,000[32] | 55,000[31] | 205,000+ |
| 8 | Nintendo | NES | Home | 3rd | 50,000[29] | 120[31] | 50,120 |
Best-selling home video games
The following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games (console games or computer games) of 1998 in Japan, the United States, and Germany.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Sales | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | United States | Germany | Combined | |||
| 1 | Pokémon Red / Green / Blue / Pikachu | GB | 3,288,391[a] | 4,000,000[33] | N/a | 7,288,391 |
| 2 | Resident Evil 2 (Biohazard 2) | PS1 | 2,298,814[34] | 1,194,840[35] | Unknown | 3,493,654+ |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | 920,000[36] | 2,500,000[37] | Unknown | 3,420,000+ |
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | 1,495,761[38] | 1,431,483[35] | 270,000+[39] | 3,197,244+ |
| 5 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | 1,266,000[38] | 1,113,749[35] | 100,000+[40] | 2,479,749+ |
| 6 | GoldenEye 007 | N64 | < 17,676[41] | 2,300,000[42] | Unknown | 2,300,000+ |
| 7 | Metal Gear Solid | PS1 | 765,000[36] | 1,064,909[35] | N/a | 1,829,909 |
| 8 | Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland | GBC | 1,660,000[36] | N/a | N/a | 1,660,000 |
| 9 | Crash Bandicoot: Warped (Crash Bandicoot 3) | PS1 | 649,000[36] | 858,726[35] | Unknown | 1,507,726+ |
| 10 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back | PS1 | 395,884[38] | 941,686[35] | Unknown | 1,337,570+ |
The following titles were the top ten highest-grossing home video games of 1998 in the United States and Europe.
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | Sales revenue | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Europe[43] | Combined | Inflation | |||
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | $150,000,000[37] | €39,000,000+ ($44,000,000+) | $194,000,000+ | $380,000,000+ |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | $58,568,520[35] | €66,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $132,568,520+ | $261,862,072+ |
| 3 | Resident Evil 2 | PS1 | $58,597,202[35] | €29,000,000+ ($33,000,000+) | $91,597,202+ | $180,931,590+ |
| 4 | GoldenEye 007 | N64 | $70,377,973+[35] | €19,000,000+ ($21,000,000+) | $91,377,973+ | $180,498,548+ |
| 5 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | $48,554,550[35] | €36,000,000+ ($40,000,000+) | $88,554,550+ | $174,921,452+ |
| 6 | Banjo-Kazooie | N64 | $51,790,624[35] | €26,000,000+ ($29,000,000+) | $80,790,624+ | $159,585,400+ |
| 7 | Tomb Raider III | Unknown | €68,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $74,000,000+ | $146,000,000+ | |
| 8 | Pokémon Red / Blue | GB | $70,000,000+[44] | N/a | $70,000,000+ | $138,000,000+ |
| 9 | Super Mario 64 | N64 | $39,184,953[35] | €21,000,000+ ($24,000,000+) | $63,184,953+ | $124,808,987+ |
| 10 | FIFA 99 | Unknown | €50,000,000+ ($56,000,000+) | $56,000,000+ | $111,000,000+ | |
Japan
In Japan, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1998.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Publisher | Genre | Sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pocket Monsters: Red / Green / Blue / Pikachu (Pokémon) | GB | Nintendo | RPG | 3,288,391 | [a] |
| 2 | Biohazard 2 (Resident Evil 2) | PS1 | Capcom | Survival horror | 2,298,814+ | [34] |
| 3 | Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland | GBC | Enix | RPG | 1,660,000 | [36] |
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | Sony | Racing (Sim) | 1,495,761 | [38] |
| 5 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | Namco | Fighting | 1,266,000 | |
| 6 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters | PS1 | Konami | DCCG | 1,175,000 | [36] |
| 7 | Parasite Eve | PS1 | Squaresoft | Horror | 1,049,000 | |
| 8 | Tales of Destiny | PS1 | Namco | Action RPG | 965,280+ | [34] |
| 9 | The Legend of Zelda: Toki no Ocarina (Ocarina of Time) | N64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 920,000 | [36] |
| 10 | Xenogears | PS1 | Squaresoft | RPG | 892,015 | [38] |
United States
In the United States, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1998.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Publisher | Genre | Sales | Revenue | Inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pokémon Red / Blue | GB | Nintendo | RPG | 4,000,000[33] | $70,000,000+[44] | $138,000,000+ |
| 2 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 2,500,000[37] | $150,000,000[37] | $300,000,000 |
| 3 | GoldenEye 007 | N64 | Nintendo | FPS | 2,300,000[42] | $70,377,973+[35] | $139,017,331+ |
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | Sony | Racing (Sim) | 1,431,483[35] | $58,568,520[35] | $115,690,166 |
| 5 | Resident Evil 2 | PS1 | Capcom | Survival horror | 1,194,840[35] | $58,597,202[35] | $115,746,821 |
| 6 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | Namco | Fighting | 1,113,749[35] | $48,554,550[35] | $95,909,610 |
| 7 | Madden NFL 99 | PS1 | EA Sports | Sports | 1,073,777[35] | $44,130,798[35] | $87,171,390 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | PS1 | Konami | Stealth | 1,064,909[35] | $51,834,077[35] | $102,387,647 |
| 9 | Banjo-Kazooie | N64 | Nintendo | Platformer | 1,054,349[35] | $51,790,624[35] | $102,301,814 |
| 10 | Super Mario 64 | N64 | Nintendo | Platformer | 946,411[35] | $39,184,953[35] | $77,401,882 |
Europe
In Europe, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing home video games of 1998.
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | Europe sales revenue[43] | France | Germany | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales revenue | Inflation | Rank | Sales | |||
| 1 | Tomb Raider III | €68,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $150,000,000+ | Unknown | Unknown | |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | €66,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $150,000,000+ | 1[45] | 270,000+[39] |
| 3 | FIFA 99 | €50,000,000+ ($56,000,000+) | $111,000,000+ | Unknown | Unknown | |
| 4 | World Cup 98 | €48,000,000+ ($54,000,000+) | $107,000,000+ | Unknown | 339,000+[39] | |
| 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | €39,000,000+ ($44,000,000+) | $87,000,000+ | Unknown | Unknown |
| Tomb Raider II | €39,000,000+ ($44,000,000+) | $87,000,000+ | Unknown | 358,000+[39] | ||
| 7 | FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 | €37,000,000+ ($41,000,000+) | $81,000,000+ | Unknown | 160,000+[39] | |
| 8 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | €36,000,000+ ($40,000,000+) | $79,000,000+ | Unknown | 100,000+[40] |
| 9 | Colin McRae Rally | €30,000,000+ ($34,000,000+) | $67,000,000+ | Unknown | ||
| 10 | Resident Evil 2 | PS1 | €29,000,000+ ($33,000,000+) | $65,000,000+ | ||
Australia
In Australia, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home console games of 1998.[46]
| Rank | Title | Platform | Developer | Publisher | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GoldenEye 007 | N64 | Rare | Nintendo | FPS |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | Polys Entertainment | Sony | Racing (Sim) |
| 3 | Banjo-Kazooie | N64 | Rare | Nintendo | Platformer |
| 4 | Crash Bandicoot (Platinum) | PS1 | Naughty Dog | Sony | |
| 5 | Mario Kart 64 | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Racing (Kart) |
| 6 | Super Mario 64 | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Platformer |
| 7 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| 8 | Croc: Legend of the Gobbos | PS1 | Argonaut Software | Fox Interactive | Platformer |
| 9 | Yoshi's Story | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | |
| 10 | Tekken 2 (Platinum) | PS1 | Namco | Sony | Fighting |
Highest-grossing arcade games in Japan
In Japan, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1998.
| Rank | Gamest[20] | Game Machine[47] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Manufacturer | Title | Type | Points | |
| 1 | Tekken 3 | Namco | Tekken 3 | Software | 4561 |
| 2 | Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3) | Capcom | Virtua Striker 2 / Ver. 98 | Software | 4366 |
| 3 | Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes | Capcom | Print Club 2 | Other | 3534 |
| 4 | The King of Fighters '98 | SNK | The House of the Dead | Dedicated | 3334 |
| 5 | Virtua Fighter 3 Team Battle (Virtua Fighter 3tb) | Sega | Virtua Fighter 3 Team Battle | Dedicated | 2936 |
| 6 | The King of Fighters '97 | SNK | Sega Bass Fishing (Get Bass) | Dedicated | 2931 |
| 7 | Virtua Striker 2 | Sega | The Lost World: Jurassic Park | Dedicated | 2719 |
| 8 | Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram | Sega | Strikers 1945 II | Software | 2622 |
| 9 | Street Fighter EX2 | Capcom | Final Furlong | Dedicated | 2414 |
| 10 | Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 98 | Sega | The King of Fighters '97 | Software | 2377 |
Events
- Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) hosts its first annual Interactive Achievement Awards. Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo is inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame.
- British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the first annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards.
- January 1 – The ESRB changes the "K-A" (Kids to Adults) rating to "E" (Everyone).
- March 14 – Sega announces the discontinuation of the Sega Saturn in North America to prepare for the launch of its successor, the Dreamcast.[48][49]
- May:
- 28 – Bill Williams, designer of Alley Cat, Necromancer, and Mind Walker, dies.
- 28–30 – The fourth annual E3 is held in Atlanta, Georgia.[50] Following the show, the inaugural Game Critics Awards was held with winners being titled Best of E3.
- July 3 – Danielle Bunten Berry, designer of M.U.L.E. and Seven Cities of Gold, dies.
- September 6 – Infogrames Entertainment, SA and Canal+ launch the Game One television channel.
- November 28 – Video game retailer FuncoLand opens its 300th location in Nashville, Tennessee.[51]
- December – Take-Two Interactive forms the Rockstar Games publishing label.
- December 11 - The final Sega Saturn game is released in North America, Magic Knight Rayearth.
Business
- Activision acquires CD Contact Data and Head Games Publishing.
- Eidos Interactive acquires Crystal Dynamics.
- Electronic Arts Inc. acquires Westwood Studios, and with so they also acquire the North American operations of Virgin Interactive.
- JTS Corp. (Atari Corporation) files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- Hasbro Interactive acquires the Atari brand and property from JTS in May. They also acquire MicroProse in August.
- Square Co. and Electronic Arts form Square Electronic Arts LLC to publish a wealth of Square Co. titles in the U.S.
- Havas, a subsidiary of Vivendi, acquires Cendant Software, which includes Sierra On-Line and Blizzard Entertainment.
- Lego Media established by Lego Group
- New companies: BreakAway, Elixir, Metro3D, Rockstar, Sunrise, Troika, WildTangent, Loki, Retro Studios
- Defunct: DWANGO
Games released in 1998
See also
Notes
- Pocket Monsters: Red / Green / Blue (Pokémon Red / Green / Blue) sold 1,739,391 units.[38] Pocket Monsters: Pikachu (Pokémon Yellow) sold 1,549,000 units.[36]