# 1998 in video games

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
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, Glover, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Gex: Enter the Gecko, Fallout 2, Return to Krondor and Tomb Raider III, along with new titles such as Banjo-Kazooie, Dance Dance Revolution, Half-Life, MediEvil, 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. 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.

## 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.
* May:
** 28 – Bill Williams, designer of Alley Cat, Necromancer, and Mind Walker, dies.
** 28–30 – The fourth annual E3 is held in Atlanta, Georgia. 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.
* 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.

## Hardware releases

| Month | Day | System |
| April | 14 | Game Boy Light$^{JP}$ |
| October | 21 | Game Boy Color$^{JP}$ |
| November | 18 | Game Boy Color$^{NA}$ |
| November | 23 | Game Boy Color$^{EU}$ |
| November | 27 | Dreamcast$^{JP}$ |

## 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 |
| CESA Awards | The Legend of Zelda: Toki no Ocarina (Ocarina of Time) | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| Japan Media Arts Festival | The Legend of Zelda: Toki no Ocarina (Ocarina of Time) | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| Digitiser | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| Edge | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| Game Informer | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| GamePro | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| GameSpot | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| Interactive Achievement Awards | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards | GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | First-person shooter |
| Video Software Dealers Association | GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | First-person shooter |
| Hyper | Final Fantasy VII | PlayStation, PC | Sony, Eidos | Role-playing |
| RPGFan | Final Fantasy VII | PlayStation, PC | Sony, Eidos | Role-playing |
| GameSpot | Grim Fandango | PC | LucasArts | Adventure |
| Gamest Awards | Psychic Force 2012 | Arcade | Taito | Fighting |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | Metal Gear Solid | PlayStation | Konami | Stealth |
| RPGFan | Lunar 2: Eternal Blue | Sega Saturn | Game Arts | Role-playing |

### Critically acclaimed titles
#### Metacritic and GameRankings

Metacritic (MC) and GameRankings (GR) are aggregators of video game journalism reviews.
1998 games and expansions scoring at least 88/100 (MC) or 87.5% (GR) :
| Game | Publisher | Release Date | Platform | MC score | GR score |
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | November 21, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | 99/100 | 97.54% |
| Tekken 3 | Namco | March 26, 1998 | PlayStation | 96/100 | 95.8% |
| Half-Life | Sierra Entertainment | November 19, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 96/100 | 94.02% |
| Metal Gear Solid | Konami | September 3, 1998 | PlayStation | 94/100 | 93.24% |
| Grim Fandango | LucasArts | October 30, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 94/100 | 92.97% |
| Resident Evil 2 | Capcom | January 21, 1998 | PlayStation | 89/100 | 93.13% |
| Street Fighter Alpha 3 | Capcom | December 23, 1998 | PlayStation | 93/100 | 90.28% |
| StarCraft | Blizzard Entertainment | March 31, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 88/100 | 92.85% |
| Panzer Dragoon Saga | Sega | January 29, 1998 | Sega Saturn | — | 92.46% |
| Banjo-Kazooie | Nintendo | June 29, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | 92/100 | 92.38% |
| Thief: The Dark Project | Eidos Interactive | December 1, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 92/100 | 89.41% |
| Baldur's Gate | Interplay Entertainment | December 21, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 91/100 | 91.94% |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | Nintendo | December 12, 1998 | Game Boy Color | — | 91.21% |
| International Superstar Soccer 98 | Konami | June 4, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | 91/100 | 89.15% |
| Crash Bandicoot: Warped | Sony Computer Entertainment | October 31, 1998 | PlayStation | 91/100 | 89.07% |
| Xenogears | Square | February 11, 1998 | PlayStation | 84/100 | 90.99% |
| Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus | GT Interactive | November 17, 1998 | PlayStation | 88/100 | 90.42% |
| NFL Blitz | Midway Games | September 12, 1998 | PlayStation | — | 90.13% |
| NFL Blitz | Midway Games | September 9, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | — | 90.02% |
| 1080° Snowboarding | Nintendo | February 28, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | — | 89.60% |
| Battlezone | Activision | March 11, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | — | 89.03% |
| Railroad Tycoon II | Gathering of Developers | November 2, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 89/100 | 83.15% |
| Turok 2: Seeds of Evil | Acclaim Entertainment | December 10, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | 86/100 | 88.96% |
| FIFA 99 | EA Sports | October 31, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | — | 88.87% |
| Caesar III | Sierra Entertainment | September 30, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | — | 88.6% |
| Unreal | GT Interactive | May 22, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | — | 88.58% |
| NBA Live 99 | EA Sports | November 10, 1998 | PlayStation | — | 88.39% |
| R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 | Namco | December 3, 1998 | PlayStation | 88/100 | 88.16% |
| NHL 99 | EA Sports | September 30, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | — | 88.11% |
| Wario Land II | Nintendo | March 7, 1998 | Game Boy Color | — | 88.04% |
| Myth II: Soulblighter | Bungie | December 28, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 88/100 | 86.39% |
| Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit | Electronic Arts | March 25, 1998 | PlayStation | 88/100 | 85.63% |
| Starsiege: Tribes | Sierra Entertainment | December 23, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 88/100 | 84.77% |
| Shogo: Mobile Armor Division | Monolith Productions | October 15, 1998 | Microsoft Windows | 88/100 | 81.6% |
| FIFA 99 | EA Sports | October 31, 1998 | PlayStation | — | 87.95% |
| F-Zero X | Nintendo | July 14, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | 85/100 | 87.61% |
| Madden NFL 99 | EA Sports | September 23, 1998 | Nintendo 64 | — | 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.
| Title | Platform | Publisher | Genre | Score (out of 40) |
| The Legend of Zelda: Toki no Ocarina (Ocarina of Time) | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 40 |
| Tekken 3 | PlayStation | Namco | Fighting | 39 |
| Sonic Adventure | Dreamcast | Sega | Platformer | 38 |
| Biohazard 2 (Resident Evil 2) | PlayStation | Capcom | Survival horror | 37 |
| Metal Gear Solid | PlayStation | Konami | Stealth | 37 |
| Virtua Fighter 3tb | Dreamcast | Sega | Fighting | 36 |
| Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG (Panzer Dragon Saga) | Sega Saturn | Sega | Role-playing | 35 |
| Neo Atlas | PlayStation | Artdink | Strategy | 35 |
| Shiritsu Justice Gakuen: Legion of Heroes (Rival Schools) | PlayStation | Capcom | Fighting | 35 |
| Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland | Game Boy Color | Enix | Role-playing | 35 |
| Beatmania | PlayStation | Konami | Rhythm | 35 |
| R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 | PlayStation | Namco | Racing | 35 |
| Crash Bandicoot 3 (Warped) | PlayStation | Sony | Platformer | 35 |
| Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3) | PlayStation | Capcom | Fighting | 35 |

## Financial performance
### Best-selling video game consoles

| Rank | Manufacturer | Game console | Type | Generation | Sales | Sales | Sales |
| Rank | Manufacturer | Game console | Type | Generation | Japan | United States | Worldwide |
| 1 | Sony | PlayStation | Home | 32-bit | 4,660,000 | 9,130,000 | 22,500,000 |
| 2 | Nintendo | Game Boy / Game Boy Color | Handheld | 8-bit | 4,730,000 | 2,430,000 | 12,990,000 |
| 3 | Nintendo | Nintendo 64 | Home | 64-bit | 1,210,000 | 3,881,000 | 7,860,000 |
| 4 | Nintendo | Super NES / Super Famicom | Home | 16-bit | 50,000 | 200,000 | 1,430,000 |
| 5 | Sega | Dreamcast | Home | 128-bit | 900,000 | — | 900,000 |
| 6 | Sega | Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) | Home | 16-bit | — | 659,000 | 659,000+ |
| 7 | Sega | Sega Saturn | Home | 32-bit | 150,000 | 55,000 | 205,000+ |
| 8 | Nintendo | NES / Famicom | Home | 8-bit | 50,000 | 120 | 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.
Best-selling home video games in Japan, United States and Germany :
| Rank | Title | Platform | Sales | Sales | Sales | Sales |
| Rank | Title | Platform | Japan | United States | Germany | Combined |
| 1 | Pokémon Red / Green / Blue / Pikachu | Game Boy | 3,288,391 | 4,000,000 | — | 7,288,391 |
| 2 | Resident Evil 2 (Biohazard 2) | PlayStation | 2,298,814 | 1,194,840 | Un­known | 3,493,654+ |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | 920,000 | 2,500,000 | Un­known | 3,420,000+ |
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PlayStation | 1,495,761 | 1,431,483 | 270,000+ | 3,197,244+ |
| 5 | Tekken 3 | PlayStation | 1,266,000 | 1,113,749 | 100,000+ | 2,479,749+ |
| 6 | GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | < 17,676 | 2,300,000 | Un­known | 2,300,000+ |
| 7 | Metal Gear Solid | PlayStation | 765,000 | 1,064,909 | — | 1,829,909 |
| 8 | Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland | Game Boy Color | 1,660,000 | — | — | 1,660,000 |
| 9 | Crash Bandicoot: Warped (Crash Bandicoot 3) | PlayStation | 649,000 | 858,726 | Un­known | 1,507,726+ |
| 10 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back | PlayStation | 395,884 | 941,686 | Un­known | 1,337,570+ |
The following titles were the top ten highest-grossing home video games of 1998 in the United States and Europe.
Highest-grossing home video games in United States and Europe :
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | Sales revenue | Sales revenue | Sales revenue | Sales revenue |
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | United States | Europe | Combined | Inflation |
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | $150,000,000 | €39,000,000+ ($44,000,000+) | $194,000,000+ | $370,000,000+ |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PlayStation | $58,568,520 | €66,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $132,568,520+ | $255,745,191+ |
| 3 | Resident Evil 2 | PlayStation | $58,597,202 | €29,000,000+ ($33,000,000+) | $91,597,202+ | $176,705,178+ |
| 4 | GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | $70,377,973+ | €19,000,000+ ($21,000,000+) | $91,377,973+ | $176,282,251+ |
| 5 | Tekken 3 | PlayStation | $48,554,550 | €36,000,000+ ($40,000,000+) | $88,554,550+ | $170,835,431+ |
| 6 | Banjo-Kazooie | Nintendo 64 | $51,790,624 | €26,000,000+ ($29,000,000+) | $80,790,624+ | $155,857,617+ |
| 7 | Tomb Raider III | Multi-platform | Un­known | €68,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $74,000,000+ | $143,000,000+ |
| 8 | Pokémon Red / Blue | Game Boy | $70,000,000+ | — | $70,000,000+ | $135,000,000+ |
| 9 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo 64 | $39,184,953 | €21,000,000+ ($24,000,000+) | $63,184,953+ | $121,893,553+ |
| 10 | FIFA 99 | Multi-platform | Un­known | €50,000,000+ ($56,000,000+) | $56,000,000+ | $108,000,000+ |

#### Japan

In Japan, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1998.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Publisher | Genre | Sales |
| 1 | Pocket Monsters: Red / Green / Blue / Pikachu (Pokémon) | Game Boy | Nintendo | Role-playing | 3,288,391 |
| 2 | Biohazard 2 (Resident Evil 2) | PlayStation | Capcom | Survival horror | 2,298,814+ |
| 3 | Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland | Game Boy Color | Enix | Role-playing | 1,660,000 |
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PlayStation | Sony | Racing simulation | 1,495,761 |
| 5 | Tekken 3 | PlayStation | Namco | Fighting | 1,266,000 |
| 6 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters | PlayStation | Konami | Card battle | 1,175,000 |
| 7 | Parasite Eve | PlayStation | Squaresoft | Horror | 1,049,000 |
| 8 | Tales of Destiny | PlayStation | Namco | Action role-playing | 965,280+ |
| 9 | The Legend of Zelda: Toki no Ocarina (Ocarina of Time) | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 920,000 |
| 10 | Xenogears | PlayStation | Squaresoft | Role-playing | 892,015 |

#### 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 | Game Boy | Nintendo | Role-playing | 4,000,000 | $70,000,000+ | $135,000,000+ |
| 2 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 2,500,000 | $150,000,000 | $290,000,000 |
| 3 | GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Shooter | 2,300,000 | $70,377,973+ | $135,770,001+ |
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PlayStation | Sony | Racing simulation | 1,431,483 | $58,568,520 | $112,987,739 |
| 5 | Resident Evil 2 | PlayStation | Capcom | Survival horror | 1,194,840 | $58,597,202 | $113,043,071 |
| 6 | Tekken 3 | PlayStation | Namco | Fighting | 1,113,749 | $48,554,550 | $93,669,241 |
| 7 | Madden NFL 99 | PlayStation | EA Sports | Sports | 1,073,777 | $44,130,798 | $85,135,139 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | PlayStation | Konami | Stealth | 1,064,909 | $51,834,077 | $99,995,956 |
| 9 | Banjo-Kazooie | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Platformer | 1,054,349 | $51,790,624 | $99,912,129 |
| 10 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo | Platformer | 946,411 | $39,184,953 | $75,593,838 |

#### Europe

In Europe, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing home video games of 1998.
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | Europe sales revenue | Europe sales revenue | France | Germany |
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | Sales revenue | Inflation | Rank | Sales |
| 1 | Tomb Raider III | Multi-platform | €68,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $140,000,000+ | Un­known | Un­known |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PlayStation | €66,000,000+ ($74,000,000+) | $140,000,000+ | 1 | 270,000+ |
| 3 | FIFA 99 | Multi-platform | €50,000,000+ ($56,000,000+) | $108,000,000+ | Un­known | Un­known |
| 4 | World Cup 98 | Multi-platform | €48,000,000+ ($54,000,000+) | $104,000,000+ | Un­known | 339,000+ |
| 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | €39,000,000+ ($44,000,000+) | $85,000,000+ | Un­known | Un­known |
| 5 | Tomb Raider II | Multi-platform | €39,000,000+ ($44,000,000+) | $85,000,000+ | Un­known | 358,000+ |
| 7 | FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 | Multi-platform | €37,000,000+ ($41,000,000+) | $79,000,000+ | Un­known | 160,000+ |
| 8 | Tekken 3 | PlayStation | €36,000,000+ ($40,000,000+) | $77,000,000+ | Un­known | 100,000+ |
| 9 | Colin McRae Rally | Multi-platform | €30,000,000+ ($34,000,000+) | $66,000,000+ | Un­known | Un­known |
| 10 | Resident Evil 2 | PlayStation | €29,000,000+ ($33,000,000+) | $64,000,000+ | Un­known | Un­known |

#### Australia

In Australia, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home console games of 1998.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Developer | Publisher | Genre |
| 1 | GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | Rare | Nintendo | First-person shooter |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PlayStation | Polys Entertainment | Sony | Racing simulation |
| 3 | Banjo-Kazooie | Nintendo 64 | Rare | Nintendo | Platformer |
| 4 | Crash Bandicoot (Platinum) | PlayStation | Naughty Dog | Sony | Platformer |
| 5 | Mario Kart 64 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Kart racing |
| 6 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Platformer |
| 7 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| 8 | Croc: Legend of the Gobbos | PlayStation | Argonaut Software | Fox Interactive | Platformer |
| 9 | Yoshi's Story | Nintendo 64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Platformer |
| 10 | Tekken 2 (Platinum) | PlayStation | Namco | Sony | Fighting |

### Highest-grossing arcade games in Japan

In Japan, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1998.
| Rank | Gamest | Gamest | Game Machine | Game Machine | Game Machine |
| Rank | 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 |

## 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

## Game releases

The list of games released in 1998.
* Video game platforms
| GB | Game Boy |
| GBC | Game Boy Color |
| N64 | Nintendo 64 |
| Neo | Neo Geo |
| NeoCD | Neo Geo CD |
| PS1 | PlayStation |
| Sat | Saturn |
| DC | Dreamcast |
| Win | Windows |

### January–March

| Month | Day | Title | Platform(s) | Genre(s) |
| J A N U A R Y | 5 | Robotron 64 | N64 | Shoot 'em up |
| J A N U A R Y | 8 | No One Can Stop Mr. Domino! | PS1 | Puzzle |
| J A N U A R Y | 12 | Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes | Arcade | Fighting |
| J A N U A R Y | 21 | Resident Evil 2 | PS1 | Survival horror |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | Machi | Sega Saturn | Visual novel |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Bomberman World | PS1 | Action, maze |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Bust a Groove | PS1 | Music, fighting |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Panzer Dragoon Saga | Sat | Action-adventure, role-playing |
| F E B R U A R Y | 6 | Skullmonkeys | PS1 | Platform |
| F E B R U A R Y | 9 | James Bond 007 | GB | Action-adventure |
| F E B R U A R Y | 11 | Xenogears | PS1 | Role-playing |
| F E B R U A R Y | 24 | Gex: Enter the Gecko | PS1 | Platform |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Burning Rangers | Sat | Action, third-person shooter |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Tenchu: Stealth Assassins | PS1 | Action-adventure, stealth |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | X-Men vs. Street Fighter: EX Edition | PS1 | Fighting |
| F E B R U A R Y | 28 | 1080° Snowboarding | N64 | Racing |
| F E B R U A R Y | 28 | Battlezone | Win | First-person shooter, real-time strategy |
| F E B R U A R Y | 28 | ReBoot | PS1 | Action |
| F E B R U A R Y | 28 | Star Wars: Rebellion | Win | Real-time strategy |
| M A R C H | 9 | Wario Land II | GB | Platform |
| M A R C H | 19 | Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War | Win | Space combat simulation |
| M A R C H | 20 | Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers | Arcade | Fighting |
| M A R C H | 25 | Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit | PS1, Win | Racing |
| M A R C H | 26 | Dungeon Master Nexus | Sat | Role-playing |
| M A R C H | 26 | Redneck Rampage Rides Again | Win | First-person shooter |
| M A R C H | 26 | The House of the Dead | Sat | Rail shooter |
| M A R C H | 26 | The King of Fighters '97 | Sat | Fighting |
| M A R C H | 26 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | Fighting |
| M A R C H | 29 | Parasite Eve | PS1 | Action role-playing |
| M A R C H | 31 | Blasto | PS1 | Third-person shooter |
| M A R C H | 31 | StarCraft | Win | Real-time strategy |
| M A R C H | 31 | Warhammer: Dark Omen | Win | Real-time tactics |
| M A R C H | 31 | World Cup 98 | PS1, Win | Sports (soccer) |

### April–June

| Month | Day | Title | Platform(s) | Genre(s) |
| A P R I L | 4 | Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die | Sat | Tactical role-playing, dating sim, visual novel |
| A P R I L | 7 | Warhammer: Dark Omen | PS1 | Real-time tactics |
| A P R I L | 9 | G-Darius | PS1 | Shoot 'em up |
| A P R I L | 14 | GT 64: Championship Edition | N64 | Racing |
| A P R I L | 17 | Puyo Puyo Sun | Win | Puzzle |
| A P R I L | 29 | Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers | Neo | Fighting |
| A P R I L | 29 | Shining Force III Scenario 2 – Target: Child of God | Sat | Tactical role-playing |
| A P R I L | 29 | Super Tempo | Sat | Platform |
| A P R I L | 30 | Bomberman Hero | N64 | Platform |
| A P R I L | 30 | Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven | Win | Role-playing |
| A P R I L | 30 | World Cup 98 | Win | Sports (soccer) |
| M A Y | 7 | Jazz Jackrabbit 2 | Win | Platform |
| M A Y | 18 | World Cup 98 | N64 | Sports (soccer) |
| M A Y | 21 | Baroque | Sat | Role-playing |
| M A Y | 22 | Unreal | Win | First-person shooter |
| M A Y | 28 | Radiant Silvergun | Arcade | Shoot 'em up |
| M A Y | 28 | The King of Fighters '97 | PS1 | Fighting |
| J U N E | 4 | Atelier Marie Plus | PS1 | Role-playing |
| J U N E | 4 | International Superstar Soccer 98 | N64 | Sports (soccer) |
| J U N E | 4 | Vigilante 8 | PS1 | Vehicular combat |
| J U N E | 11 | Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix | PS1 | Fighting |
| J U N E | 12 | Wetrix | N64 | Puzzle |
| J U N E | 24 | Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines | Win | Real-time tactics |
| J U N E | 25 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | Sat | Action-adventure |
| J U N E | 29 | Banjo-Kazooie | N64 | Platform |
| J U N E | 29 | Street Fighter Alpha 3 | Arcade | Fighting |
| J U N E | 30 | Deathtrap Dungeon | Win | Action-adventure |
| J U N E | 30 | Deep Fear | Sat | Survival horror |
| J U N E | 30 | N2O: Nitrous Oxide | PS1 | Shoot 'em up |

### July–September

| Month | Day | Title | Platform(s) | Genre(s) |
| J U L Y | 4 | Heart of Darkness | PS1 | Platform |
| J U L Y | 9 | Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix | Sat | Fighting |
| J U L Y | 14 | F-Zero X | N64 | Racing |
| J U L Y | 14 | WWF War Zone | PS1 | Sports (professional wrestling) |
| J U L Y | 16 | Brave Fencer Musashi | PS1 | Action role-playing |
| J U L Y | 16 | Hopkins FBI | Win | Adventure |
| J U L Y | 23 | Radiant Silvergun | Sat | Shoot 'em up |
| J U L Y | 23 | Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers | NeoCD | Fighting |
| J U L Y | 30 | Star Ocean: The Second Story | PS1 | Action role-playing |
| J U L Y | 31 | Urban Assault | Win | First-person shooter, real-time strategy |
| J U L Y | 31 | F-1 World Grand Prix | N64 | Racing |
| J U L Y | 31 | Heart of Darkness | Win | Platform |
| J U L Y | 31 | Iggy's Reckin' Balls | N64 | Racing |
| A U G U S T | 1 | Gex: Enter the Gecko | N64 | Platform |
| A U G U S T | 1 | Pokémon Stadium | N64 | Role-playing |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Resident Evil: Director's Cut – Dual Shock Version | PS1 | Survival horror |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Wachenröder | Sat | Tactical role-playing |
| A U G U S T | 11 | WWF War Zone | N64 | Sports (professional wrestling) |
| A U G U S T | 21 | Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six | Win | Tactical shooter |
| A U G U S T | 25 | Madden NFL 99 | PS1 | Sports (football) |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Black/Matrix | Sat | Tactical role-playing |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | Metal Gear Solid | PS1 | Action-adventure, stealth |
| S E P T E M B E R | 9 | NASCAR 99 | N64 | Racing |
| S E P T E M B E R | 9 | NFL Blitz | N64 | Sports (football) |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | NFL Blitz | PS1 | Sports (football) |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Spyro the Dragon | PS1 | Platform |
| S E P T E M B E R | 12 | Pokémon Yellow | GB | Role-playing |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Suikoden | Sat | Role-playing |
| S E P T E M B E R | 23 | Digital Monster Version S: Digimon Tamers | Sat | Virtual pet |
| S E P T E M B E R | 23 | Madden NFL 99 | N64 | Sports (football) |
| S E P T E M B E R | 23 | Shining Force III Scenario 3 – Bulzome Rising | Sat | Tactical role-playing |
| S E P T E M B E R | 25 | Dragon Warrior Monsters | GBC | Role-playing |
| S E P T E M B E R | 26 | Dance Dance Revolution | Arcade | Music |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Body Harvest | N64 | Action-adventure |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Caesar III | Win | City-building |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Delta Force | Win | Tactical shooter |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Gex: Enter the Gecko | Win | Platform |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | NHL 99 | PS1, Win | Sports (ice hockey) |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 | PS1 | Vehicular combat |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Shogo: Mobile Armor Division | Win | First-person shooter |

### October–December

| Month | Day | Title | Platform(s) | Genre(s) |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | MediEvil | PS1 | Action-adventure |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | NHL 99 | N64 | Sports (ice hockey) |
| O C T O B E R | 2 | NFL Blitz | Win | Sports (football) |
| O C T O B E R | 12 | Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit | Win | Racing |
| O C T O B E R | 14 | Star Trek: The Next Generation: Klingon Honor Guard | Win, Mac | First-person shooter |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Turok 2: Seeds of Evil | N64 | First-person shooter |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Tetris DX | GBC | Puzzle |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Wario Land II | GBC | Platform |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter | Sat | Fighting |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Grim Fandango | Win | Adventure |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Trespasser | Win | Action-adventure |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Fallout 2 | Win | Role-playing |
| O C T O B E R | 30 | The Fifth Element | Win, PS1 | Action-adventure game |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome | Win | Real-time strategy |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Apocalypse | PS1 | Third-person shooter |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Centipede | Win | Shoot 'em up |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Crash Bandicoot: Warped | PS1 | Platform |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | FIFA 99 | Win | Sports (soccer) |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Glover | N64, Win | Platform |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Heretic II | Win | Action-adventure |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | NBA Live 99 | PS1, Win | Sports (basketball) |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus | PS1, Win | Platform |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Railroad Tycoon II | Win | Business simulation |
| N O V E M B E R | 1 | Red Comrades Save the Galaxy | Win | Adventure |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | NBA Live 99 | N64 | Sports (basketball) |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill | Win | Adventure |
| N O V E M B E R | 9 | SiN | Win | First-person shooter |
| N O V E M B E R | 10 | Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA | N64 | Racing |
| N O V E M B E R | 11 | Sonic R | Win | Racing |
| N O V E M B E R | 14 | The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard | Win | Action-adventure |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Half-Life | Win | First-person shooter |
| N O V E M B E R | 20 | The Settlers III | Win | Real-time strategy, city-building |
| N O V E M B E R | 20 | Tomb Raider III | PS1, Win | Action-adventure |
| N O V E M B E R | 21 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | Action-adventure |
| N O V E M B E R | 25 | Blood II: The Chosen | Win | First-person shooter |
| N O V E M B E R | 27 | Puyo Puyo Sun | GBC | Puzzle |
| N O V E M B E R | 30 | FIFA 99 | PS1, N64 | Sports (soccer) |
| D E C E M B E R | 1 | Gex: Enter the Gecko | GBC | Platform |
| D E C E M B E R | 1 | Thief: The Dark Project | Win | Stealth |
| D E C E M B E R | 3 | Star Wars: Rogue Squadron | Win | Action |
| D E C E M B E R | 4 | Magic and Mayhem | Win | Real-time strategy |
| D E C E M B E R | 7 | Star Wars: Rogue Squadron | N64 | Action |
| D E C E M B E R | 12 | Falcon 4.0 | Win | Air combat simulation |
| D E C E M B E R | 12 | Hey You, Pikachu! | N64 | Virtual pet |
| D E C E M B E R | 12 | The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | GBC | Action-adventure |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | Suikoden II | PS1 | Role-playing |
| D E C E M B E R | 18 | Mario Party | N64 | Party |
| D E C E M B E R | 18 | Pokémon Trading Card Game | GBC | Digital collectible card game |
| D E C E M B E R | 18 | StarCraft: Brood War | Win | Real-time strategy |
| D E C E M B E R | 21 | Baldur's Gate | Win | Role-playing |
| D E C E M B E R | 21 | South Park | N64 | First-person shooter |
| D E C E M B E R | 23 | Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon 2 | PS1 | Roguelike |
| D E C E M B E R | 23 | Sonic Adventure | DC | Platform |
| D E C E M B E R | 23 | Starsiege: Tribes | Win | First-person shooter |
| D E C E M B E R | 28 | Myth II: Soulblighter | Win | Real-time tactics |
| D E C E M B E R | 31 | Akuji the Heartless | PS1 | Action-adventure |