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1996 in video games

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1996 in video games

none

1996 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Mario 64, Duke Nukem 3D, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Mario Kart 64, King's Field III, Virtua Fighter 3, along with new titles such as Blazing Heroes, NiGHTS into Dreams..., Crash Bandicoot, Pokémon Red/Green/Blue, Resident Evil, Dead or Alive, Soul Edge, Quake and Tomb Raider.

The year's best-selling video game console worldwide was the PlayStation, while the best-selling consoles in Japan were the Game Boy and Sega Saturn. The year's best-selling home video game worldwide was Super Mario 64, while highest-grossing arcade games in Japan were Street Fighter Zero 2 (Street Fighter Alpha 2) and Virtua Fighter 2.

Legend

Hardware

[[Nintendo 64
  • February 21 – Sega Model 3, an arcade system board considered to have the most technically impressive graphics at the time
  • April 21 - Apple's Apple Pippin console initially released in Japan
  • June 23 - Nintendo's Nintendo 64, the first true 64-bit home console, initially released in Japan
  • July 20 - Nintendo's Game Boy Pocket (GBP) handheld console (30% smaller version of the previous Game Boy handheld console), initially released in Japan
  • October - Sega's Net Link modem for the Sega Saturn home console
  • November 23 – Bandai's Tamagotchi virtual pet handheld initially released in Japan
  • December 3 - Namco's Alpine Racer arcade game, including a new type of user interface
  • SNK's Neo Geo CDZ (Japan only)

Discontinuation

1996 saw a major shakeup in the crowded home console market, with the Virtual Boy, Atari Jaguar, 3DO, Sega CD, 32X, and CD-i all being discontinued.

Top-rated games

Game of the Year awards

The following titles won Game of the Year awards for 1996.

AwardsGame of the YearPlatform(s)PublisherGenreRef
Chicago TribuneSuper Mario 64N64NintendoPlatformer
Digitiser
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Game Informer
Golden Joystick Awards
Spotlight Awardstitle=Archive 1997 Spotlight Awardsurl=https://gamechoiceawards.com/archive/spotlight_1997website=Game Developers Choice Awardsaccess-date=4 April 2024}}
CESA AwardsSakura Taisen (Sakura Wars)SATSegaTactical RPGurl=http://awards.cesa.or.jp/2017/history/1.htmlscript-title=ja:CESA大賞'96 初の作品賞(大賞)はサクラ大戦が受賞！trans-title=The CESA Grand Prize '96's top award (Grand Prize) was won by Sakura Wars!language=japublisher=Japan Game Awardsdate=2017access-date=March 14, 2018archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314114012/http://awards.cesa.or.jp/2017/history/1.htmlarchive-date=March 14, 2018url-status=live}}
GameFan MegawardsTomb RaiderEidosAction-adventure
Enemy ZeroSATWarpAdventure
Gamest AwardsStreet Fighter Zero 2 (Street Fighter Alpha 2)ArcadeCapcomFighting
IAAPA Exhibit AwardsTokyo WarsArcadeNamcoShooter
VSDA AwardsDonkey Kong Country 2SNESNintendoPlatformer

Critically acclaimed titles

Metacritic and GameRankings

Metacritic (MC) and GameRankings (GR) are aggregators of video game journalism reviews.

GamePublisherRelease DatePlatform(s)MC scoreGR score
Super Mario 64NintendoJune 23, 1996N6494/10096.41%
Wipeout XL/2097PsygnosisSeptember 30, 1996PS193/10094.75%
QuakeGT InteractiveJune 22, 1996DOS94/10093.22%
Tekken 2NamcoMarch 29, 1996PS189/10092.50%
Civilization IIMicroProseFebruary 29, 1996WIN94/10091.29%
Wave Race 64NintendoSeptember 27, 1996N6492/10090.67%
PaRappa the RapperSony Computer EntertainmentDecember 6, 1996PS192/10088.31%
Realms of the HauntingInterplayDecember 31, 1996DOS91.86%
Tomb RaiderEidos InteractiveNovember 14, 1996DOS91.67%
Soul EdgeNamcoDecember 20, 1996PS189/10091.46%
Tomb RaiderEidos InteractiveOctober 25, 1996PS191/10090.02%
Resident EvilCapcomMarch 22, 1996PS191/10087.23%
Command & Conquer: Red AlertVirginNovember 22, 1996DOS90/10090.91%
Command & ConquerSegaDecember 18, 1996SAT89.90%
Dragon ForceSegaMarch 29, 1996SAT89.64%
International Superstar Soccer 64KonamiDecember 20, 1996N6489.23%
Guardian HeroesSegaJanuary 26, 1996SAT89.20%
Super Mario RPGNintendoMarch 9, 1996SNES89.12%
Descent IIInterplay ProductionsMarch 13, 1996DOS89/100
Duke Nukem 3DGT InteractiveJanuary 29, 1996DOS89/10088.50%
Star Control 3AccoladeAugust 31, 1996DOS89/100
NiGHTS into Dreams...SegaJuly 5, 1996SAT88.56%
Pokémon Blue VersionNintendoOctober 15, 1996GB88.33%
Pokémon Red VersionNintendoFebruary 27, 1996GB87.86%
Formula 1PsygnosisSeptember 30, 1996PS187.75%
Fighters MegamixSegaDecember 21, 1996SAT87.67%
Pilotwings 64NintendoJune 23, 1996N6480/10087.52%
Panzer Dragoon II ZweiSegaMarch 22, 1996SAT87.50%

''Famitsu'' Platinum Hall of Fame

The following video game releases in 1996 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.

TitlePlatformDeveloperPublisherGenreScore (out of 40)
Super Mario 64N64Nintendo EADNintendoPlatformer39
Resident EvilPS1CapcomCapcomSurvival horror38
Tekken 2PS1NamcoNamcoFighting38
Fighting VipersSATSega AM2SegaFighting37
Fushigi no Dungeon: Fūrai no Shiren GBGBAquamarineChunsoftRoguelike36
Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e...SNESHeartbeatEnixRPG36
Panzer Dragoon II ZweiSATSegaSegaRail shooter35
J. League Victory Goal '96SATSegaSegaSports35
Fighters MegamixSATSega AM2SegaFighting35

Financial performance

Highest-grossing arcade games

Japan

In Japan, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1996.

RankGamestGame MachineTitleManufacturerTitleTypePoints
1Street Fighter Zero 2 (Street Fighter Alpha 2)CapcomVirtua Fighter 2 / 2.1PCB
2Virtual On: Cyber TroopersSegaPuzzle Bobble 2 / 2XPCB
3The King of Fighters '96SNKPrint Club (Purikura)Other4059
4Virtua Fighter 3SegaRave RacerSD / DX / 2P
5Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over MystaraCapcomTekken 2PCB3579
6Psychic ForceTaitoVirtua Cop 2Dedicated3271
7RayStormTaitoVirtual On: Cyber TroopersDedicated3208
8X-Men vs. Street FighterCapcomAlpine RacerDedicated2807
9Real Bout Garō Densetsu (Real Bout Fatal Fury)SNKFighting VipersPCB2555
10Battle GareggaEightingStreet Fighter Zero 2PCB2543

United States

In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1996.

Drasnin CommunicationsAMOATitleDeveloperManufacturerGenreDedicated cabinetConversion kit
Daytona USASega AM2SegaRacingAlpine RacerArea 51
Cruis'n USAMidway GamesMidway GamesRacingArea 51Bust-A-Move Again
Tekken 2NamcoNamcoFightingCruis'n USAMortal Kombat 3
Area 51Mesa LogicAtari GamesLight gun shooterDaytona USASoul Edge
Alpine RacerNamcoNamcoSportsTime CrisisTekken 2
Die Hard ArcadeSega AM1SegaBrawlercolspan="2" rowspan="5"
Metal SlugSNKSNKRun and gun
Point BlankNamcoNamcoLight gun shooter
DecAthleteSega AM3SegaSports
Strikers 1945PsikyoPsikyoScrolling shooter

Australia

On Australia's Timezone monthly arcade charts published in the March 1996 issue of Leisure Line magazine, Sega's Manx TT Super Bike was the top-grossing dedicated arcade cabinet and Namco's Point Blank was the top-grossing arcade conversion kit.

Best-selling video game consoles

RankManufacturerGame consoleTypeGenerationSalesJapanUnited StatesWorldwide
1SonyPS1Home32-bittitle=Cumulative Production Shipments of Hardware / PlayStationurl=http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataps_e.htmlurl-status=deadarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040422075722/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataps_e.htmlarchive-date=2004-04-22access-date=2021-12-25website=Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.publisher=Sonydate=31 December 2003}}last1=Clementsfirst1=Matthew T.last2=Ohashifirst2=Hiroshidate=October 2004title=Indirect Network Effects and the Product Cycle: Video Games in the U.S., 1994–2002url=http://www.netinst.org/Clements_Ohashi.pdf#page=25url-status=livearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307012843/http://www.netinst.org/Clements_Ohashi.pdfarchive-date=March 7, 2016access-date=September 21, 2011publisher=NET Institutepages=12, 24}}6,600,000+
2NintendoGBHandheld8-bitlast=小川 (Ogawa)first=純生 (Sumio)date=2010-12-14title=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—trans-title=Recent Developments in Video Game Technology in Japan — Famicom, Super Famicom, Play Station, Play Station 2 and Wii —url=http://www.toyo.ac.jp/uploaded/attachment/3049.pdfjournal=経営論集 (Keiei Ronshū)language=japublication-date=March 2011issue=77pages=1–17 (2)issn=0286-6439archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725185700/http://www.toyo.ac.jp/uploaded/attachment/3049.pdfarchive-date=2015-07-25access-date=2021-12-06via=Toyo University Academic Information Repository (Toyo University)}}4,000,000+
SegaSATHome32-bit2,300,000,0004,000,000+
4NintendoN64Home64-bit1,022,9992,758,999+
5NintendoSNESHome16-bit620,0001,416,0001,746,000+
6SegaGENHome16-bit1,316,000+
7NintendoNESHome8-bit70,000,000538,000+
8SegaGGHandheld8-bit100,000100,000+
9NECPCFXHome32-bit50,00050,000+
Panasonic3DOHome32-bit50,00050,000+

Best-selling home video games

The following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games (console games or computer games) worldwide in 1996.

RankTitlePlatformSalesJapanUnited StatesEuropeWorldwide
1Super Mario 64N64903,0002,000,000+2,903,000+
2Tekken 2PS11,200,000+1,000,000+420,0002,620,000+
3Resident Evil (Biohazard)PS11,016,0001,000,000+300,000+2,316,000+
4Super Mario RPGSNES995,8981,000,000+1,995,898+
5Donkey Kong Country 3SNES674,0001,000,000+1,674,000+
6Pocket Monsters: Red / Green / BlueGB1,663,8611,663,861
7Donkey Kong Country 2SNES612,0001,000,000+1,612,000+
8Wave Race 64N64154,6821,000,000+1,154,682+
9Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e...SNES1,071,0001,071,000
10Madden NFL 97PS11,000,000+1,000,000+

Japan

In Japan, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1996.

RankTitlePlatformDeveloperPublisherGenreSalesRef
1Pocket Monsters: Red / Green / BlueGBGame FreakNintendoRPG1,663,861title=Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 1997publisher=Enterbrainyear=1997location=Tokyolanguage=jascript-title=ja:ファミ通ゲーム白書1997trans-title=Famitsu Game Whitebook 1997chapter=1996年ゲームソフト年間売上TOP100trans-chapter=1996 Game Software Annual Sales Top 100chapter-url=http://geimin.net/da/db/1996_ne_fa/index.phpurl-status=deadarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227141144/http://geimin.net/da/db/1996_ne_fa/index.phparchive-date=December 27, 2008access-date=17 February 2021 }}
2Tekken 2PS1NamcoNamcoFighting1,200,000+last1=Hurwitchfirst1=Nicktitle=The Art of Tekken: A Complete Visual Historydate=10 July 2019publisher=Dynamite Entertainmentisbn=978-1-5241-1308-7page=33url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cG2hDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA33}}
3Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e...SNESHeartbeatEnixRPG1,071,000
4Biohazard (Resident Evil)PS1CapcomCapcomSurvival horror1,016,000
5Super Mario RPGSNESSquaresoftNintendoRPG995,898
6Derby Stallion '96PS1ASCIIASCIISimulation960,000
7Super Mario 64N64Nintendo EADNintendoPlatformer903,000
8Arc the Lad IIPS1ARC EntertainmentSonyRPG818,000
9Tobal No. 1PS1DreamFactorySquaresoftFighting752,000
10Rage RacerPS1NamcoNamcoRacing701,000

United States

In the United States, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1996.

RankTitlePlatformPublisherGenreSalesRevenueInflation
1Super Mario 64N64NintendoPlatformerdate=16 March 1997title=Inventor pales beside his 'Mario' creationpages=56work=El Paso Timesagency=Associated Pressurl=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21337013/shigeru-miyamoto-nintendo/}}$140,000,000$
2Donkey Kong Country 2SNESNintendoPlatformer1,000,000+
3Donkey Kong Country 3SNESNintendoPlatformer1,000,000+
4Madden NFL 97PS1EA SportsSports (football)1,000,000+rowspan="3"rowspan="3"
5Wave Race 64N64NintendoRacing1,000,000+
6Super Mario RPGSNESNintendoRPG1,000,000+
7Tekken 2PS1NamcoFighting1,000,000+
8Star Wars: Shadows of the EmpireN64NintendoAction1,000,000+
9Resident EvilPS1CapcomSurvival horror1,000,000+
10MystPS1BroderbundAdventurelast1=Millerfirst1=Gregdate=March 3, 1997title=Myst Opportunities: Game Makers Narrow Their Focus to Search for the Next Blockbusterpage=3work=Los Angeles Timesurl=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-03-fi-34360-story.htmlurl-status=liveaccess-date=18 October 2021archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508013306/http://articles.latimes.com/1997-03-03/business/fi-34360_1_pc-game/3archive-date=2018-05-08quote=Source: PC Data}}$28,800,000$

Europe

In Europe, the following titles were the best-selling home video games of 1996.

RankAll platformsPlayStationTitlePublisherTitleurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=51nvAAAAMAAJtitle=Screen Digestdate=1997publisher=Screen Digestpage=132quote=Despite the earlier launch in the US, sales of next generation console games can already be fairly evenly balanced between the US and Europe, with PlayStation titles Tekken II and Crash Bandicoot, for example, selling 470,000 and 340,000 in the US and 420,000 and 300,000 in Europe respectively.}}date=12 February 1997title=Scorching Christmas Sales For PlayStation!url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_184_1997-03_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n11magazine=Computer and Video Gamesissue=184 (March 1997)page=12}}UK revenue (inflation)
1Formula 1PsygnosisFormula 1420,000+£15,000,000+ (+)$+
2colspan="2"Tekken 2420,000£15,000,000+ (+)$+
3colspan="2"FIFA 97300,000+rowspan="2"rowspan="2"
4colspan="2"Resident Evil300,000+
5colspan="2"Crash Bandicoot300,000£15,000,000+ (+)$+
6colspan="2"Destruction Derbycolspan="3" rowspan="5"
7colspan="2"Ridge Racer Revolution
8colspan="2"Tekken
9colspan="2"Ridge Racer
10colspan="2"Tomb Raider

In addition to the PlayStation games listed above, the following titles were the year's best-selling Sega Saturn and PC games in the United Kingdom.

Sega SaturnPCHMVRankTitle
Athlete KingsTomb Raider1Grand Prix 2
Bust-A-Move 2Ultimate Mortal Kombat 32Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Daytona USA: Circuit EditionVirtua Cop3FIFA 97
Euro 96Virtua Fighter 24Command & Conquer
ExhumedSega Worldwide Soccer 975Civilization II
Fighting Vipers6Quake
Guardian Heroes7Theme Park
Nights into Dreams8Rally Championship
Sea Bass Fishing9Championship Manager 2
Sega Rally Championship10Worms

Top game rentals in the United States

In the United States, the following games were the top video game rentals of each month, according to the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA).

MonthGameRef
January
February
March
April
MaySuper Mario RPG
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Events

  • March – Swedish video game magazine "Super Power" changes name to Super Play.
  • 15 July – Tom Kalinske announces he will leave his position as president for Sega of America on 1 October.
  • May 16–18 – The second annual E3 is held in Los Angeles, California, United States.
  • 7 September - Sega opens SegaWorld London as part of the London Trocadero in England. It is the first Sega World park to open outside of Japan.
  • 1 October – Tom Kalinske resigns as president for Sega of America.
  • December 31 – Battle.net Classic is released.

Business

  • February – Blizzard Entertainment acquires a development group known as Condor, renaming it Blizzard North
  • April – Eidos Interactive acquires CentreGold plc, which holds Core Design (creator of the Lara Croft character) and U.S. Gold
  • May 1 – GameSpot and GameFAQs are launched
  • June – Firaxis Games is formed By Jeff Briggs with Sid Meier and Brian Reynolds
  • July – GT Interactive purchases Humongous Entertainment
  • July 24 – CUC International, Inc purchases Sierra On-Line, Blizzard Entertainment and Davidson & Associates for about $3 billion in a stock swap.
  • July 30 - Atari Corporation reverse-merges with JTS, Inc.
  • August 6 – AOL buys Sierra's ImagiNation Network from AT&T for a reported $15 million.
  • August 24 – Valve is founded.
  • September 1 – AOL closes ImagiNation Network, the first online video game with graphics, after 5 years of service.
  • September 29 – IGN is founded.
  • November 13 – Tom Clancy and Virtus Corp. found Red Storm Entertainment, headed by Doug Littlejohns
  • Infogrames Entertainment SA acquires Ocean Software Ltd.
  • Midway Games, Inc. (subsidiary of WMS Industries) acquires Atari Games Corporation from Time Warner.
  • Technos Japan Corporation, originator of the Nekketsu Kouha Kunio Kun series and Double Dragon series, goes out of business (assets acquired by Atlus)
  • Black Isle Studios forms as a division by Interplay; doesn't use Black Isle name until 1998
  • Game Park Inc. founded in South Korea
  • The company formed by MicroProse and Spectrum HoloByte in 1993 starts branding using only the MicroProse name
  • Overworks, Ltd. formed
  • Zed Two Limited formed
  • Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Computer & Entertainment, Inc.
  • The 3DO Company purchases New World Computing

Notable releases

Release DateTitleDeveloper/PublisherPlatformGenreRef
January 25Guardian HeroesTreasure/SegaSATBrawler
January 26Mystaria: The Realms of LoreMicro Cabin/SegaSATTactical RPG
January 29Duke Nukem 3D3D Realms/GT InteractiveDOSFPS
January 31Mega Man X3CapcomSNES
February 9Bahamut LagoonSquareSoftSNESTactical RPG
February 23Front Mission: Gun HazardSquareSoftSNES
February 27Pokémon Red and GreenGame Freak/NintendoGB
February 29Civilization IIMicroProseWIN4X
February 29Ripper (video game) Take Two InteractiveDOSAdventure, Interactive film
February 29Rise 2: ResurrectionMirage/AcclaimWIN, SAT, PS1
February 29Terra Nova: Strike Force CentauriLooking Glass StudiosDOSFPS
February 29Zork: NemesisActivisionWIN
March 9Super Mario RPGSquareSoft/NintendoSNESRPG
March 21Kirby Super StarHAL Labs/NintendoSNES
March 22Resident EvilCapcomPS1survival horror
March 22Panzer Dragoon II ZweiTeam Andromeda/SegaSATRail shooter
March 24Someone's in the Kitchen!The Neverhood Inc./DreamWorksWIN
March 29Dragon Ball Z: Hyper DimensionTOSE/BandaiSNES
April 20Barbie Fashion DesignerDigital Domain/Mattel MediaWIN
April 26Jumping Flash! 2Exact/SCEAPS1Platformer
April 26The Legend of OasisSega/AncientSAT
April 30Indiana Jones and His Desktop AdventuresLucasArtsWIN, MACAdventure
May 14Fire Emblem: Seisen no KeifuIntelligent Systems/NintendoSNESTactical RPG
May 13Kirby's Block BallHAL Labs/NintendoGB
May 24Metal SlugSNKNEO
May 31Final Doomid SoftwareDOS
JuneLast BronxSegaArcade
June 22Quakeid SoftwareDOS
June 23Super Mario 64NintendoN64Platformer
June 26Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3Acclaim Entertainment, GT Interactive, Midway, Williams EntertainmentSAT, GEN, SNES
July 5NiGHTS into Dreams...SegaSAT
July 19Saturn BombermanHudsonSAT
July 19Star Oceantri-ace/EnixSNES
July 25The King of Fighters '96SNKNEO, NEOCD, SAT
July 26Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade EditionTaito/AcclaimSAT, PS1Puzzle
July 31Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of FleshSierra On-LineDOS, WIN
July 31Virtua Fighter KidsSega AM2SAT, Arcade
August 25Tekken 2NamcoPS1Fighting
August 26Azrael's TearIntelligent GamesDOSAdventure
August 31Die Hard TrilogyProbe Entertainment/Fox InteractiveWIN, PS1, SAT
August 31Tetris AttackIntelligent Systems/NintendoSNES, GB
August 31Madden NFL 97EA Sports/Electronic ArtsGEN, PS1, WIN, SNES, SAT, GBSports (football)
August 31Beyond the BeyondCamelot/SCEAPS1RPG
August 31Jet MotoSingleTrac/SCEAPS1Racing
SeptemberJagged Alliance: Deadly GamesSir-TechDOS
SeptemberVirtua Fighter 3Sega AM2ArcadeFighting
September 8''Magic Carpet 2'''Bullfrog ProductionsDOSAction
September 9Crash BandicootNaughty Dog/Universal/SonyPS1
September 14GunGriffonGame Arts/SegaSAT
September 20Revelations: PersonaAtlusPS1RPG
September 20The Elder Scrolls II: DaggerfallBethesda SoftworksWINSandbox
September 29Pilotwings 64NintendoN64url=http://www.pennoaks.net/archive64/Miscellaneous_Articles/N64_US_Launch.htmlast=McCalltitle=N64's U.S. Launchwork=Teleparcfirst=Scottdate=September 28, 1996access-date=September 29, 2015}}
September 27Meridian 593DOWINMMORPG
September 30Broken Sword: The Shadow of the TemplarsRevolution Software/Virgin InteractiveWIN, PS1Adventure
September 30Wipeout XL/2097PsygnosisPS1
September 30Shattered SteelBioWare/InterplayDOS
September 30Street Fighter Alpha 2CapcomArcade, SNES, PS1, SAT
September 30Mr. BonesZono/SegaSATPlatformer
September 30Tobal No. 1DreamFactory/SCEAPS1Fighting
September 30Formula 1Bizarre Creations/SCEAPS1Racing
September 30Donkey Kong Land 2Rare/NintendoGB
October 1Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession WarsNew World Computing/3DODOS, WIN
October 10Mortal Kombat TrilogyAvalanche, Midway, Point of ViewN64, PS1, RZ
October 15Marathon InfinityBungieMAC
October 15Pokémon BlueGame Freak/NintendoGB
October 30The NeverhoodThe Neverhood Inc./DreamWorksWIN
October 31Command & Conquer: Red AlertWestwood StudiosDOS
October 31Master of Orion IISimtex/MicroProseDOS
October 31ToonstruckBurst Studios/Virgin Interactive EntertainmentDOS
October 31Drowned GodEpic Multimedia Group/InscapeWINAdventure
October 31SimCopterMaxisWINSimulation (flight)
October 31King's Field IIIFromSoftware/ASCII EntertainmentPS1
October 31DeathDromeZipper Interactive/ViacomWIN
October 31WWF In Your HouseAcclaimDOS, PS1, SAT
October 31Twisted Metal 2SingleTrac/SCEAPS1
October 31Destruction Derby 2Reflections Interactive/SCEAPS1
October 31NBA Live 97Electronic Arts, EA SportsPS1, SAT, SNES, GEN
October 31Pandemonium!Electronic Arts, EA SportsPS1, SAT
November 1Blood Omen: Legacy of KainSilicon Knights/Crystal DynamicsPS1, WIN
November 14Tomb RaiderCore Design/EidosPS1, SAT, DOSAction-adventure
November 20DisruptorInsomniac GamesPS1
November 20Sonic 3D BlastSega/Traveller's TalesSAT, GENPlatformer
November 22Donkey Kong Country 3Rare/NintendoSNES
November 25Killer Instinct GoldRare/NintendoN64Fighting
November 25Bubsy is 3D in "Furbitten Planet"Eidetic/AccoladePS1
November 26Area 51Mesa Logic/Atari GamesPS1, WIN, SATShooter
November 26Dead or AliveTeam Ninja/TecmoArcadeFighting
November 30Contra: Legacy of WarKonami/Appaloosa InteractiveSAT, PS1
November 30Dragon ForceSega/Working DesignsSATRPG, RTS
November 30Fighting VipersSega AM2SAT, ArcadeFighting
November 30Virtua Cop 2Sega AM2SAT, ArcadeLight gun shooter
November 30Virtual On: Cyber TroopersCRI/SegaSAT, Arcade
November 30Bug Too!Sega/Realtime AssociatesSAT, WIN
November 30FIFA Soccer 97EA Canada/Electronic ArtsGEN, PS1, WIN, SNES, SAT, GB
December 3Star Wars: Shadows of the EmpireLucasArts/NintendoN64Action
December 12IgnitionUnique Development Studios/Virgin InteractiveDOS, WINRacing
December 14Mario Kart 64NintendoN64Racing (kart)
December 16FurcadiaDragon's Eye Productions, Inc.WINMMORPG
December 17Mega Man 8CapcomPS1
December 26YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this WorldELF CorporationPC98Visual novel
December 31Death RallyRemedy Entertainment/GT InteractiveDOS
December 31NBA HangtimeMidwayGEN, PS1, WIN, N64, Arcade, SNESSports (basketball)

Notes

References

References

  1. (January 2, 1997). "For Game Quality, 1996 Was a Very Good Year". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  2. (3 January 1997). "Digitiser's Top 14 Games Of 1996". [[Digitiser]].
  3. ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'', issue 92 (March 1997), pages 82-90
  4. (2 January 2017). "25 Years Of Game Informer's GOTY Awards". Game Informer.
  5. (15 October 2015). "Golden Joysticks Awards' Ultimate List of Ultimate Games: 1983–2014". Future plc.
  6. "Archive 1997 Spotlight Awards".
  7. link. [[Japan Game Awards]]. (2017)
  8. (2008). "About Sakura Taisen". Red Entertainment.
  9. ''GameFan'', volume 5, issue 2 (February 1997), pages 34-36
  10. (November 2019). "IAAPA Exhibit Awards History (1990-2001)".
  11. "Home Entertainment Awards – Video Games". [[Entertainment Merchants Association]].
  12. "Best Video Games for 1996".
  13. "Highest-Ranking Games of 1996 (with at least 5 reviews)".
  14. "週刊ファミ通クロスレビュープラチナ殿堂入りソフト一覧".
  15. (December 27, 1996). "第10回 ゲーメスト大賞".
  16. (1 February 1997). ""Tekken 2", "Virtua Cop 2" Top Videos '96". [[:ja:アミューズメント通信社.
  17. (December 17, 1996). "Top Ten Arcade Titles for 1996: According to a recent report, both Sega and Namco had three of top ten grossing arcade titles in 1996". [[Next Generation (magazine).
  18. (August 3, 1996). "Coin Machine: AMOA Announces JB Award Nominees".
  19. (March 1996). "Test Reports". Leisure & Allied Industries.
  20. (31 December 2003). "Cumulative Production Shipments of Hardware / PlayStation". [[Sony]].
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