1994 in video games

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

1994 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy VI, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Virtua Fighter 2 and Doom II, along with new titles such as Daytona USA, Ace Driver, Alpine Racer and Tekken.

The year's Template:Nowrap video game console was the Game Boy, while the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis remained the Template:Nowrap home console. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Super Street Fighter II X (Super Street Fighter II Turbo) and Virtua Fighter in Japan, and Daytona USA and Mortal Kombat II in the United States, while the year's best-selling home video game worldwide was Donkey Kong Country.

EventsEdit

Nintendo proclaims "1994: The Year of the Cartridge".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nintendo Australia Pty. Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd is established and opened by Hiroshi Yamauchi and effectively ends Mattel Australia's distribution of Nintendo's products throughout Australia.
"Project Reality" is renamed the Nintendo Ultra 64. The console's design is revealed to the public for the first time in spring 1994.
The second of two congressional hearings on video games takes place on March 5. Topics for discussion include the depiction of violence and sexual content in video games, their influence on children, and the prospect of governmental regulation of video game content.
April – The Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) is founded in response to the hearings (name changed to the Entertainment Software Association in 2003); the IDSA founds the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in order to self-regulate content in video games in the mold of the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system.
April 28 – Sega and MGM make a venture to create video games, movies, and television programs.
June 24 – The Computer Game Developers Association is formed by Ernest W. Adams.
November – Game Zero magazine drops their print format and becomes the first video game news magazine on the web.
November 10 – William Higinbotham, creator of Tennis for Two (1958), dies at 84.

Hardware releasesEdit

Aiwa releases the Aiwa Mega-CD multimedia home console in Japan only.
Bandai releases the Playdia multimedia home console.
NEC releases the PC-FX multimedia home console.
Sega:
- introduces the North American cable TV Sega Channel in cooperation with Time Warner (AOL Time Warner); the subscription service provides Sega Genesis games via cable box to customers
- releases the Sega 32X add-on for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in Europe (November 14), North America (November 21) and Japan (December 3)
- releases the Sega Nomad handheld console in North America, a portable Sega Genesis.
- releases the Sega Saturn home console in Japan on November 22
SNK releases the Neo Geo CD home console.

File:PlayStation-SCPH-1000-with-Controller.jpg

PlayStation video game console, first released in Japan

Sony releases the PlayStation home console in Japan on December 3.
Nintendo releases the Super Game Boy adapter for the Super NES home console.
Atari Corporation discontinues the Lynx handheld system.

Top-rated gamesEdit

Game of the Year awardsEdit

The following titles won Game of the Year awards for 1994.

Awards	Game of the Year	Platform(s)	Publisher	Genre	Template:Abbr
Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM)	Donkey Kong Country	Super NES	Nintendo	Platformer	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Game Informer					citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Video Games & Computer Magazine					citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Time Magazine					citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Nintendo Power
Kid's Choice Awards					citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
GameFan Megawards	Earthworm Jim	Sega Genesis	Playmates Interactive	Platformer	<ref>GameFan, volume 3, issue 1 (January 1995), pages 68-75</ref>
GameFan Megawards	Clockwork Knight	Sega Saturn	Sega	Platformer
Gamest Awards	The King of Fighters '94	Arcade (Neo Geo)	SNK	Fighting	<ref name="Gamest" />
IAAPA Exhibit Awards	Ace Driver	Arcade (Namco System 22)	Namco	Racing	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA)	NBA Jam	Game consoles	Acclaim	Sports	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Famitsu Platinum Hall of FameEdit

The following video game releases in 1994 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)
Final Fantasy VI	Super Famicom	Squaresoft	Squaresoft	RPG	37
Ridge Racer	PlayStation	Namco	Namco	Racing	37
Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo (Mystery of the Emblem)	Super Famicom	Intelligent Systems	Nintendo	SRPG	36
Virtua Fighter	Sega Saturn	Sega AM2	Sega	Fighting	36

Financial performanceEdit

Highest-grossing arcade gamesEdit

The best-selling arcade printed circuit board (PCB) worldwide in 1994 was SNK's Neo Geo MVS system.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

JapanEdit

The following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1994 in Japan.

Rank	Gamest<ref name="Gamest">Template:Cite magazine alternate url</ref>		Game Machine<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Rank	Title	Manufacturer	Title	Type	Points
1	Super Street Fighter II X: Grand Master Challenge	Capcom	Virtua Fighter	PCB / Deluxe	{{#expr:2948+2909}}
2	Virtua Fighter	Sega	Super Street Fighter II / X	PCB	{{#expr:1806+3197}}
3	Garō Densetsu Special (Fatal Fury Special)	SNK	Puyo Puyo	PCB	3466
4	Vampire: The Night Warriors (Darkstalkers)	Capcom	Ridge Racer	Deluxe	3265
5	The King of Fighters '94	SNK	Super Real Mahjong PIV	PCB	2909
6	Super Street Fighter II	Capcom	Shanghai III	PCB	2794
7	Gokujo Parodius	Konami	Raiden II	PCB	2718
8	Ridge Racer	Namco	Lethal Enforcers	Dedicated	2713
9	Daytona USA	Sega	Tetris (Sega)	PCB	2686
10	Puyo Puyo	Compile	OutRunners	2P cabinet	2676

United KingdomEdit

In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the highest-grossing games of each month in 1994.

Month	Dedicated arcade cabinet	Printed circuit board (PCB)	Template:Abbr
February	Ridge Racer		<ref name="CVG">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
March	Ridge Racer	Super Street Fighter II Turbo	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
April	Ridge Racer		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
May	Daytona USA		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
June	Daytona USA		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
July	Daytona USA		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
August			<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
September			<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
October	Daytona USA	Gunbird	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Virtua Fighter by Sega AM2 was also one of the UK's most popular coin-ops of the year.<ref name="CVG158">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

United StatesEdit

In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1994.

Rank	Play Meter	AAMA<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>		AMOA<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Rank	Play Meter	Title	Award	Dedicated arcade cabinet	Arcade conversion kit
1	Daytona USA, Mortal Kombat II<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	Daytona USA (Twin) Cruis'n USA, Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat II, Neo Geo MVS	Diamond	Mortal Kombat II
2				Lethal Enforcers, Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, Virtua Fighter	NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, Raiden II, Super Street Fighter II, Samurai Shodown
3	rowspan="3" Template:Unknown
4
5
6	Template:Unknown	NBA Jam: Tournament Edition	Platinum		Template:N/A
7	rowspan="3" Template:Unknown	Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, Raiden II, Revolution X	Gold	colspan="2" rowspan="6" Template:N/A
8
9
10	rowspan="3" Template:Unknown	Alien vs. Predator, Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom, Super Street Fighter II Turbo	Silver
11
12

Best-selling video game consolesEdit

Rank	Manufacturer	Game console	Type	Generation	Sales
Rank	Manufacturer	Game console	Type	Generation	Japan	USA	Europe	Elsewhere	Worldwide
1	Nintendo	Game Boy	Handheld	8-bit	1,140,000<ref name=":22">Template:Cite journal</ref>	Template:Unknown	Template:Unknown	Template:Unknown	7,500,000+<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
2	Sega	Mega Drive / Genesis	Home	16-bit	500,000<ref name=":9">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	4,000,000+<ref name="Wire">Template:Cite news</ref>	1,540,000<ref name=":9" />	1,000,000<ref name=":9" />	7,040,000+
3	Nintendo	Super NES	Home	16-bit	2,200,000<ref name=":9" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1,060,000<ref name=":9" />	900,000<ref name=":9" />	6,218,000
4	Sega	Sega CD / Mega-CD	Home	16-bit	150,000<ref name=":9" />	550,000<ref name=":9" />	205,000<ref name=":9" />	Template:N/A	905,000<ref name=":9" />
5	Sega	Game Gear	Handheld	8-bit	350,000<ref name=":22" />	500,000+<ref name="Wire" />	Template:Unknown	Template:Unknown	850,000+
6	Sega	Sega Saturn	Home	32-bit	840,000<ref name=":22" />	Template:N/A	Template:N/A	Template:N/A	840,000
7	Sega	32X	Home	32-bit	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	500,000<ref name="Wire" />	65,000<ref name=":9" />	Template:N/A	835,000
8	Goldstar, Panasonic, Sanyo	3DO	Home	32-bit	450,000<ref name=":22" />	160,000<ref name=":9" />	15,000<ref name=":9" />	5,000+<ref name=":9" />	630,000+
9	Sony	PlayStation	Home	32-bit	600,000<ref name=":22" />	Template:N/A	Template:N/A	Template:N/A	600,000
10	Nintendo	NES / Famicom	Home	8-bit	280,000<ref name=":22"/>	{{#expr:5,650*0.0475 round 0}},000<ref name="Clements & Ohashi" />	Template:Unknown	Template:Unknown	548,000+

Best-selling home video gamesEdit

The following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games (console games or computer games) worldwide in 1994.

Rank	Title	Platform(s)	Sales
Rank	Title	Platform(s)	Japan<ref name=":1" />	USA<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Worldwide
1	Donkey Kong Country (Super Donkey Kong)	Super NES	956,000	2,057,006	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2	Street Fighter II	Multi-platform	941,000+	989,178+Template:Efn	3,709,090+Template:Efn
3	Final Fantasy VI (Final Fantasy III)	Super NES	2,550,000+<ref name="EGM63" />	275,952	2,825,952+
4	Mortal Kombat II	Multi-platform	Template:Unknown	1,929,494+	2,500,000+<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
5	NBA Jam	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Template:Unknown	2,313,526	2,313,526+
6	Sonic 3 & Knuckles	Mega Drive/Genesis	Template:Unknown	1,473,730	1,473,730+
7	Madden NFL 95	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Template:N/A	811,568	811,568+
8	Super Metroid	Super NES	531,000	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	787,262+
9	Mighty Morphin Power Rangers	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Template:N/A	731,910	731,910+
10	J.League Excite Stage '94 (Capcom's Soccer Shootout)	Super Famicom	714,000	Template:Unknown	714,000+

JapanEdit

In Japan, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1994.

Rank	Title	Platform	Publisher	Genre	Sales	Template:Abbr
1	Final Fantasy VI	Super Famicom	Squaresoft	RPG	2,550,000+	<ref name="EGM63">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2	Super Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong Country)	Super Famicom	Nintendo	Platformer	956,000	<ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
3	Super Street Fighter II	Super Famicom	Capcom	Fighting	941,000
4	J.League Excite Stage '94 (Capcom's Soccer Shootout)	Super Famicom	Epoch Co.	Sports	714,000
5	Super Bomberman 2	Super Famicom	Hudson Soft	Maze	713,000
6	Super Momotarō Dentetsu III	Super Famicom	Hudson Soft	Simulation	610,000
7	Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden 3	Super Famicom	Bandai	Fighting	595,000
8	Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo (Mystery of the Emblem)	Super Famicom	Nintendo	Tactical RPG	563,000
9	Super Metroid	Super Famicom	Nintendo	Metroidvania	531,000
10	Mother 2: Gīgu no Gyakushū (EarthBound)	Super Famicom	Nintendo	RPG	518,000

United StatesEdit

In the United States, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1994.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

Rank	Title	Platform(s)	Publisher(s)	Genre	Sales	Template:Abbr
1	NBA Jam	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Acclaim Entertainment	Sports	2,313,526	<ref name=":2" />
2	Donkey Kong Country	Super NES	Nintendo	Platformer	2,057,006
3	Mortal Kombat II	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Acclaim Entertainment	Fighting	1,929,494
4	Sonic 3 & Knuckles	Sega Genesis	Sega	Platformer	1,473,730	<ref name=":2" />
5	Street Fighter II	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Capcom	Fighting	989,178+	Template:Efn
6	Madden NFL 95	Sega Genesis, Super NES	EA Sports	Sports	811,568	<ref name=":2" />
7	Mighty Morphin Power Rangers	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Sega, Bandai	Action	731,910
8	The Lion King	Sega Genesis, Super NES	Virgin Interactive	Platformer	619,399
9	NBA Live 95	Sega Genesis, Super NES	EA Sports	Sports	542,758
10	Disney's Aladdin	Super NES	Capcom	Platformer	421,996+	<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

United KingdomEdit

HMV, a British entertainment retailer, released a monthly list of the chain's highest-selling home video game titles. The following titles topped the monthly all-formats charts, as reported by Computer and Video Games.

Month	Title	Platform(s)	Publisher	Genre	Template:Abbr
January	Sensible Soccer	Mega Drive	Sony	Sports (football)	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
February	SimCity 2000	PC, Mac	Mindscape	City-building	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
March	NBA Jam	Mega Drive, SNES, GG	Acclaim	Sports (basketball)	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
April	Doom	PC	Id Software	FPS	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
May	World Cup Striker	SNES	U.S. Gold	Sports (football)	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
June	World Cup USA '94	Mega Drive, SNES, GG	U.S. Gold	Sports (football)	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
July	Star Wars: TIE Fighter	PC	Virgin Interactive	Space combat	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
August	Super Street Fighter II	Mega Drive	Sega	Fighting	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
September	Mortal Kombat II	SNES, SMD, SMS, GG, GB	Acclaim	Fighting	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
October	Doom II	PC	Virgin Interactive	FPS	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
November	FIFA Soccer 95	Mega Drive	EA Sports	Sports (football)	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
December	FIFA Soccer 95	Mega Drive	EA Sports	Sports (football)	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Notable releasesEdit

Video game platforms

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Notable releases of the year *1994*
Release	Title	System	Developer/Publisher	Notes
February 2	Sonic the Hedgehog 3	SMD	Sega	Third installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Introduces Knuckles the Echidna.
March	X-COM: UFO Defense	DOS	Mythos Games/MicroProse
March 19	Super Metroid	SNES	Nintendo	Third in the Metroid series; distributed on a 24-megabit cartridge. Noted as the "best game of all time" by Electronic Gaming Monthly in 2002.
March 25	The Elder Scrolls: Arena	DOS	Bethesda	Open-world action role-playing game, and the first game in the Elder Scrolls series
April 2	Final Fantasy VI	SNES	Square Co.	Sixth title in the Final Fantasy series. Released on October 11 in the US.

June 14	Donkey Kong 94	GB	Nintendo	Remake of the first four stages of the original game, adding 96 puzzle based levels and new mechanics
July	TIE Fighter	DOS	LucasArts

August 2	Earthworm Jim	SNES, SMD	Shiny Entertainment
August 25	The King of Fighters '94	Neo	SNK	First title in the King of Fighters series
August 27	EarthBound	SNES	Nintendo	The only title in the series to be localized until Mother was released in the United States as EarthBound Beginnings in 2015. Also introduces Ness.
September	Master of Magic	DOS	MicroProse
September 9	Mortal Kombat II	SNES	Sculptured Software/Acclaim Entertainment	Released with all blood and fatalities left intact, the first major release on any Nintendo console at that point to have such content.
September 22	System Shock	DOS	Looking Glass Studios/Origin Systems
October 10	Doom II	DOS	id Software	Sequel to the original first-person shooter DOOM.
October 10	Doom	Lin	Dave D. Taylor/id Software	Port of the original game, becoming the first major game for the Linux operating system.
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> \|\| Sonic & Knuckles \|\| SMD \|\| Sega \|\| The sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, allowing players to play as either Sonic or Knuckles. The cartridge features an adapter that can connect to Sonic 3, allowing the two games to be played consecutively.
October 28	Killer Instinct	Arcade	Rare	The first arcade machine with an internal hard disk.
November 15	Warcraft: Orcs & Humans	DOS	Blizzard Entertainment	The first game in the Warcraft franchise. Adapted into the 2016 film of the same name.
November 15	NFL '95	Sega Genesis and Sega Game Gear	Double Diamond Software Genesis and Blue Sky Software Game gear	Sixth game in the Joe Montana Football/NFL series.
November 21	Donkey Kong Country	SNES	Rare/Nintendo	The first in the Donkey Kong Country series. Features 3D pre-rendered graphics. Also introduces Diddy Kong and King K. Rool.
November 23	King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride	DOS	Sierra On-Line	First in the series to use SVGA graphics.
December<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	The Need for Speed	3DO	Electronic Arts	Launched one of the most successful racing game franchises of all time.
December	Magic Carpet	DOS, PS1, Sega Saturn	Bullfrog Productions	Action video game developed by Bullfrog Productions, a title deemed innovative and visually impressive at the time of its release, which features 3D real-time visuals.
December	Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger	DOS	Origin	Space combat simulator game that adds interactive movie elements with big-name actors. One of the most expensive games developed for the time, costing about $4 million to produce.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
December 9	Tekken	Arcade	Namco	Namco's first 3D fighting game, spawning the Tekken franchise.
December 10	Wario's Woods	NES	Nintendo	The last official game to be released on the NES in North America before Nintendo would officially discontinue production of the console.
December 16	King's Field	PS1	FromSoftware	Released in Japan only, first in the King's Field series and the first 3D action RPG to be developed for a home console. Considered to be the predecessor of the Dark Souls series. Introduced the Moonlight Sword.
December 17	Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium	SMD	Sega
December 21	Marathon	Mac	Bungie	One of the earliest original (non-ported) first-person shooters for the Mac computer.
December 27	Heretic	DOS, Mac	Raven Software/id Software	First in the Heretic/Hexen series and also the first game bundled with DWANGO, one of the earliest online multiplayer services

Game releasesEdit

Template:Empty section January:

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February:

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March:

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BusinessEdit

New companies: Neversoft
Defunct: Commodore, Tradewest
September 14 – Video gaming magazine Nintendomagasinet is cancelled after four years. Number 9 of 1994 would have been released on this day, but instead the magazine joins Super Power.
Apogee establishes the 3D Realms Entertainment division.
Blizzard Entertainment is renamed from Silicon & Synapse.
SSI sold to Mindscape
Alpex Computer Corp. v. Nintendo lawsuit: Alpex sues Nintendo over patent infringements related to the NES. Nintendo loses the case. (In 1996 this ruling was reversed by an appeals court, which determined that no patents had been infringed upon.)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

- Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Dragon Pacific Intern

NotesEdit

Template:Notelist

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Template:History of video games

1994 in video games

Contents

EventsEdit

Hardware releasesEdit

Top-rated gamesEdit

Game of the Year awardsEdit

Famitsu Platinum Hall of FameEdit

Financial performanceEdit

Highest-grossing arcade gamesEdit

JapanEdit

United KingdomEdit

United StatesEdit

Best-selling video game consolesEdit

Best-selling home video gamesEdit

JapanEdit

United StatesEdit

United KingdomEdit

Notable releasesEdit

Game releasesEdit

BusinessEdit

See alsoEdit

NotesEdit

ReferencesEdit