Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Year nav topic5

1991 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Street Fighter II, Final Fantasy IV, Super Castlevania IV, Mega Man 4, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, along with new titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Battletoads, Lemmings, Sunset Riders, Duke Nukem, Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, and Streets of Rage. The year's highest-grossing video game worldwide was Capcom's arcade fighting game Street Fighter II. The year's best-selling system was the Game Boy for the second year in a row, while the year's best-selling home video game was Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, which was also the year's top video game rental in the United States.

Top-rated gamesEdit

Game of the Year awardsEdit

The following titles won Game of the Year awards for 1991.

Awards Game of the Year Developer Publisher Genre Platform(s) Template:Abbr
Chicago Tribune Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic Team Sega Platformer Sega Genesis <ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref>
Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) <ref>Electronic Gaming Monthly's 1992 Video Game Buyer's Guide, pages 60-61</ref>
European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) Sega Mega Drive <ref name="Zero33" />
Golden Joystick Awards <ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Chicago Tribune Splatterhouse Namco NEC Beat 'em up TurboGrafx-16 <ref name=":5" />
Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo R&D4 Nintendo Platformer NES
European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) Lemmings DMA Design Psygnosis Strategy Home computers <ref name="Zero33">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Famitsu Best Hit Game Awards Final Fantasy IV Squaresoft Squaresoft Role-playing Super Famicom <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Gamest Awards Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Capcom Capcom Fighting Arcade (CP System) <ref>Template:Cite magazine alternate url</ref>

Famitsu Platinum Hall of FameEdit

The following video game releases in 1991 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Title Platform Developer Publisher Genre Score (out of 40)
Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce (A Link to the Past) Super Famicom Nintendo EAD Nintendo Action-adventure 39
Final Fantasy IV Super Famicom Squaresoft Squaresoft Role-playing 36
Lemmings Super Famicom Sunsoft Sunsoft Strategy 35

Financial performanceEdit

Highest-grossing arcade gamesEdit

The year's highest-grossing game worldwide was Street Fighter II, which alone accounted for an estimated 60% of the global arcade game market, according to Coinslot magazine.<ref name="Mega">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The following table lists the year's top-grossing arcade game in Japan, the United Kingdom, United States, and worldwide.

Market Title Hardware sales Coin drop earnings Inflation Manufacturer Genre Template:Abbr
Japan Street Fighter II: The World Warrior 17,000 Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Capcom Fighting <ref name=":0" /><ref name="GM419" />
United Kingdom Street Fighter II: The World Warrior 10,000 Template:US$+ Template:US$+ Capcom Fighting <ref name="Mega" />
United States Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Template:Unknown colspan="2" Template:Unknown Capcom Fighting <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Template:Unknown colspan="2" Template:Unknown Konami Beat 'em up <ref name="PM91"/>
Australia Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Template:Unknown colspan="2" Template:Unknown Capcom Fighting <ref name="Leisure"/>
Worldwide Street Fighter II: The World Warrior 50,000 Capcom Fighting <ref name="Mega"/><ref name="GM419"/>

JapanEdit

In Japan, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1991, according to the annual Gamest and Game Machine charts.

Rank Gamest<ref name=":0">Template:Cite magazine alternate url</ref> Game Machine<ref name="GM419">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Title Type
1 Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Software conversion kit
2 Final Fight Tetris (Sega) Software conversion kit
3 Final Lap 2 Columns Software conversion kit
4 Quiz Tonosama no Yabō Final Lap 2 Standard cabinet
5 Raiden Deluxe cabinet
6 Super Monaco GP Super Volley '91 (Power Spikes) Software conversion kit
7 Clutch Hitter Quiz Tonosama no Yabō
8 GP Rider Final Fight Software conversion kit
9 Super Volley '91 (Power Spikes) World Stadium '90 Software conversion kit
10 Dragon Saber Columns II Software conversion kit

United StatesEdit

In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1991.

Rank AAMA<ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> AMOA<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Play Meter
Title Award Arcade conversion kit Dedicated arcade cabinet
1 Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Diamond Street Fighter II Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles<ref name="PM91">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2 The Simpsons,
Neo Geo MVS
Platinum Capcom Bowling,
Final Fight,
High Impact Football,
Raiden
Hard Drivin',
Neo Geo MVS,
Pit Fighter,
Race Drivin'
rowspan="4" Template:Unknown
3
4 High Impact Football Gold
5 Final Lap 2 Silver

Hong Kong and AustraliaEdit

In Hong Kong and Australia, the following titles were the top-grossing arcade games on the monthly charts in 1991.

Month Hong Kong (Bondeal) Australia (Timezone)
Arcade conversion software kit Dedicated arcade cabinet Template:Abbr Dedicated Conversion Template:Abbr
January Super Pang Big Run Cisco Heat <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="RePlay3">Template:Cite magazine</ref> rowspan="9" Template:Unknown rowspan="9" Template:Unknown
February Escape Kids Street Fighter II Cisco Heat Hard Drivin' Big Run <ref name="RePlay3" /><ref name="RePlay4">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
March Street Fighter II Hard Drivin' Big Run F-15 Strike Eagle <ref name="RePlay4" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="RePlay5">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
April Street Fighter II Gun Force F-15 Strike Eagle <ref name="RePlay5" /><ref name="RePlay6">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
May Street Fighter II F-15 Strike Eagle Hard Drivin' <ref name="RePlay6" /><ref name="RePlay7">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
June Hard Drivin' <ref name="RePlay7"/><ref name="RePlay8">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
July Street Fighter II Mutant Fighter <ref name="RePlay8"/><ref name="RePlay9">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
August Mutant Fighter D. D. Crew Hard Drivin' Time Traveler <ref name="RePlay9"/><ref name="RePlay10">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
September WWF WrestleFest Street Fighter II Time Traveler Hard Drivin' <ref name="RePlay10"/><ref name="RePlay11">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
October Street Fighter II Vendetta Hard Drivin' Race Drivin' <ref name="RePlay11"/> Final Lap 2 Spider-Man <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1991 Street Fighter II <ref name="Leisure">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Best-selling home systemsEdit

Rank System(s) Manufacturer Type Generation Sales
Japan USA Europe Korea Worldwide
1 Game Boy Nintendo Handheld 8-bit 1,940,000<ref name=":22">Template:Cite journal</ref> 4,000,000<ref name=":9">Template:Cite news</ref> 1,400,000<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Unknown 7,340,000+
2 Super NES Nintendo Console 16-bit 3,150,000<ref name=":22" /> 1,900,000+<ref name=":8">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:N/A Template:N/A 5,050,000+
3 NES / Famicom Nintendo Console 8-bit 1,240,000<ref name=":22" /> 2,100,000<ref name=":9"/> 500,000+<ref name=":7">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 100,000<ref name="Korea">Template:Cite book</ref> 3,940,000+
4 Mega Drive / Genesis Sega Console 16-bit 700,000<ref name=":22" /> 1,600,000+<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 815,000<ref name=":6">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 51,000<ref name="Korea" /> 3,166,000+
5 IBM PC IBM Computer 16-bit Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A 2,910,000<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
6 Macintosh Apple Inc. Computer 16-bit Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A citation CitationClass=web

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7 Master System Sega Console 8-bit Template:Unknown < 50,000<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 1,745,000<ref name=":6"/> 160,000<ref name="Korea" /> 1,905,000+
8 NEC PC-88 / PC-98 NEC Computer 8-bit / 16-bit {{#expr:3,300*0.52 round −1}},000<ref name=":43">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":66">Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Template:Unknown 1,720,000+
9 Game Gear Sega Handheld 8-bit 400,000<ref name=":22" /> 600,000+<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 520,000<ref name=":6"/> Template:Unknown 1,520,000+
10 Amiga Commodore Computer 16-bit Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A 1,035,000<ref name=":222" />

Best-selling home video gamesEdit

Sonic the Hedgehog was the best-selling home video game of 1991,<ref name="Kalinske">Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref> with Template:Nowrap copies sold worldwide during the year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

JapanEdit

In Japan, according to Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazine, the following titles were the top ten best-selling 1991 releases, including later sales in 1992.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Rank Title Developer Publisher Genre Platform Sales
1 Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce (A Link to the Past) Nintendo EAD Nintendo Action-adventure Super Famicom citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2 Final Fantasy IV (Final Fantasy II) Squaresoft Squaresoft Role-playing Super Famicom Template:Unknown
3 Yoshi Game Freak Nintendo Puzzle Famicom rowspan="2" Template:Unknown
4 Game Boy
5 Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki (Mystical Ninja) Konami Konami Action-adventure Super Famicom Template:Unknown
6 SaGa 3: Jikū no Hasha (Final Fantasy Legend III) Squaresoft Squaresoft Role-playing Game Boy < 650,000<ref name="SaGaSales">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
7 Chō Makaimura (Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts) Capcom Capcom Action-platformer Super Famicom rowspan="3" Template:Unknown
8 SimCity Nintendo EAD Nintendo City-building
9 Super Wagan Land Namco Platformer
10 Super Formation Soccer (Super Soccer) Human Entertainment Sports (football) Super Famicom citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

The following titles were the best-selling home video games on the Famitsu charts in 1991. The charts were bi-weekly up until July 1991, when they switched to a weekly format.

Month Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Template:Abbr
Template:Dts colspan="2" Template:Unknown Super Mario World (Super Famicom) <ref name="Famitsu1991">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Template:Dts Super Mario World (Super Famicom)
Template:Dts <ref name="Famitsu1991" /><ref name="Famitsu133">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Ultraman (Super Famicom) Super Mario World (Super Famicom)
Template:Dts Super Mario World (Super Famicom) SimCity (Super Famicom) <ref name="Famitsu1991" /><ref name="Famitsu133" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts SimCity (Super Famicom) Magical Taruruto (Game Boy) <ref name="Famitsu1991" />
Template:Dts SimCity (Super Famicom) Super R-Type (SFC) Final Fantasy IV (Super Famicom)
Template:Dts Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Final Fantasy IV (SFC) Dragon Ball Z II: Gekishin Freeza (FC) <ref name="Famitsu1991" /><ref name=":3" />
Template:Dts Final Fantasy IV (Super Famicom) Chibi Maruko-chan 2 (GB) Mario Open Golf (Famicom) <ref name=":3">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Famitsu148">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=":4" />
Template:Dts Chō Makaimura (Super Famicom) <ref name=":4">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Chō Makaimura (Super Famicom) Akumajō Dracula (SFC) Super Mario World (SFC) Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce (SFC) <ref name="Famitsu1991" /><ref name="December">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce (SFC)<ref name="December" /> Mega Man 4 (FC) SaGa 3 (Game Boy) <ref name="Famitsu1991" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

United KingdomEdit

In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the best-selling home video games on the monthly Computer and Video Games (CVG) charts in 1991.

Month Home computers Sega Mega Drive PC Engine Template:Abbr
Template:Dts Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (C64) Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Out Run <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (Amiga) <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Lemmings (Amiga) Gynoug Parasol Stars <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Magicland Dizzy (ZX Spectrum) Midnight Resistance <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Sonic the Hedgehog Legend of Hero Tonma <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Bubble Bobble (ZX Spectrum) Template:N/A <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Manchester United Europe Template:N/A Template:N/A <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Jimmy White's 'Whirlwind' Snooker Streets of Rage PC Kid 2 <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Terminator 2: Judgment Day Mercs Hit the Ice <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 QuackShot Time Cruise II <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts WWF WrestleMania RoboCod Gradius <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

United StatesEdit

In the United States, the following titles were the top three best-selling home video game releases of 1991.

Rank Title Platform Sales Template:Abbr
1 Sonic the Hedgehog Sega Genesis 1,000,000+ <ref name="Kalinske"/>
2 Super Mario World Super Nintendo Entertainment System rowspan="2" Template:Unknown <ref name="Famitsu83">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
3 F-Zero

The following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month in 1991.

Month All platforms Nintendo consoles
Title Platform Template:Abbr Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Template:Abbr
Template:Dts Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Template:Unknown Template:Unknown <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Sonic the Hedgehog Sega Genesis <ref name="Chicago">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Template:Unknown
Template:Dts Template:Unknown Tetris (NES) Super Mario World (Super NES) Template:Unknown <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Super Mario World (Super NES)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts colspan="4" Template:Unknown
Template:Dts <ref name="Kalinske"/> Super Mario World (Super NES)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

EventsEdit

Notable releasesEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It becomes highly successful and is routinely listed as the grandfather of the fighting game genre. It is also credited with revitalizing the arcade game industry at the time,<ref name="1up_essential_sf2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and popularizing direct tournament-level competition between players.<ref name="egm_influential_sf2">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

HardwareEdit

BusinessEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Template:History of video games