1999 in video games
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:More citations needed Template:Jagged 85 cleanup Template:Year nav topic5
1999 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Heroes of Might and Magic III, System Shock 2, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Final Fantasy VIII, Age of Empires II, Crash Team Racing, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!, Grand Theft Auto 2, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Chrono Cross, Unreal Tournament, Pokémon Gold and Silver, and Donkey Kong 64, along with new titles such as Super Smash Bros., Silent Hill, Syphon Filter, Driver, EverQuest, Homeworld, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and Planescape: Torment.
The year's most critically acclaimed video game was the Dreamcast title Soulcalibur, which remains among the highest-rated games of all time on Metacritic. The best-selling home video game worldwide was the Game Boy title Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow for the second year in a row, while the year's highest-grossing arcade game in Japan was Sega's Virtua Striker 2.
Legend
{{#invoke:VgData|main|ct=platform|col=3|DC|GB|GBC|GEN|N64|NES|NGPC|PS1|SAT|SNES|WIN|WS}}
Events
- British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 2nd annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards.Template:Cn
- March – Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children is republished as Game Over: Press Start to Continue.Template:Cn
- March 15 – Game Network hosts the 1st annual Independent Games Festival (IGF) at GDC.Template:Cn
- March 15–19 – Game Developers Conference (formerly Computer Game Developers Conference); moves to San Jose, California where it stays for six consecutive years; hosts the 1st annual Independent Games Festival.Template:Cn
- May 12 – Nintendo has started working on what will eventually be the GameCube, under the codename "Project Dolphin".<ref name="Say Hello to Project Dolphin">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- May 13 – Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (at E3); inducts Sid Meier of Firaxis Games to the AIAS Hall of Fame.Template:Cn
- May 13–15 – 5th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3); the 2nd annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E3.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- September 7 - The SegaWorld London amusement park shuts down for good exactly three years after its original opening date in 1996. The bottom two floors of the park continue to operate as a generic arcade until 2011. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Hardware
| Date | System | |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | PocketStationTemplate:Abbr | |
| March 4 | WonderSwanTemplate:Abbr | |
| March 16 | Neo Geo Pocket ColorTemplate:Abbr | |
| May / June | Game.com Pocket Pro | |
| September 9 | DreamcastTemplate:Abbr<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Top-rated games
Game of the Year awards
The following titles won Game of the Year awards for 1999.
Critically acclaimed titles
Metacritic and GameRankings
Metacritic (MC) and GameRankings (GR) are aggregators of video game journalism reviews.
| CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref name="GameRankings Best">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||||||
| Game | Publisher | Release Date | Platform(s) | MC score | GR score | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soulcalibur | Namco | August 5, 1999 | DC | 98/100 | 96.56% | ||
| Chrono Cross | Square | November 18, 1999 | PS1 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Gran Turismo 2 | Sony Computer Entertainment | December 11, 1999 | PS1 | 93/100 | 92.42% | ||
| Tony Hawk's Pro Skater | Activision | September 29, 1999 | PS1 | 92/100 | 93.67% | ||
| Unreal Tournament | GT Interactive | November 22, 1999 | WIN | 92/100 | 93.57% | ||
| Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | Nintendo | May 10, 1999 | GBC | Template:N/A | 92.63% | ||
| Homeworld | Sierra Entertainment | September 28, 1999 | WIN | 93/100 | 88.81% | ||
| System Shock 2 | Electronic Arts | August 11, 1999 | WIN | 92/100 | 92% | ||
| Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri | Electronic Arts | February 12, 1999 | WIN | 92/100 | 91.88% | ||
| Age of Empires II | Microsoft | September 30, 1999 | WIN | 92/100 | 91.81% | ||
| Medal of Honor | Electronic Arts | October 31, 1999 | PS1 | 92/100 | 87.31% | ||
| Crash Team Racing | Sony Computer Entertainment | September 30, 1999 | PS1 | 88/100 | 91.78% | ||
| FreeSpace 2 | Interplay Entertainment | September 30, 1999 | WIN | 91/100 | 91.58% | ||
| NFL 2K | Sega | September 9, 1999 | DC | Template:N/A | 91.53% | ||
| Pokémon Silver Version | Nintendo | November 21, 1999 | GBC | Template:N/A | 91.35%<ref name="GameRankings 2000" /> | ||
| Pokémon Gold Version | Nintendo | November 21, 1999 | GBC | Template:N/A | 91.35%<ref name="GameRankings 2000" /> | ||
| Planescape: Torment | Interplay Entertainment | December 12, 1999 | WIN | 91/100 | 90.63% | ||
| Resident Evil 3: Nemesis | Capcom | September 22, 1999 | PS1 | 91/100 | 88.21% | ||
| Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver | Eidos Interactive | August 16, 1999 | PS1 | 91/100 | 88.16% | ||
| The Longest Journey | IQ Media Nordic | November 18, 1999 | WIN | 91/100 | 88% | ||
| Mario Golf | Nintendo | June 11, 1999 | N64 | 91/100 | 87.32% | ||
| Rayman 2: The Great Escape | Ubisoft | November 5, 1999 | WIN | Template:N/A | 90.7% | ||
| Ape Escape | Sony Computer Entertainment | May 31, 1999 | PS1 | 90/100 | 90.44% | ||
| Final Fantasy VIII | Square | February 11, 1999 | PS1 | 90/100 | 89.42% | ||
| Beetle Adventure Racing | Electronic Arts | February 28, 1999 | N64 | 90/100 | 89.1% | ||
| Rayman 2: The Great Escape | Ubisoft | October 29, 1999 | N64 | 90/100 | 88.83% | ||
| Syphon Filter | 989 Studios | February 17, 1999 | PS1 | 90/100 | 86.93% | ||
| Donkey Kong 64 | Nintendo | November 22, 1999 | N64 | 90/100 | 86.73% | ||
| Shenmue | Sega | December 29, 1999 | DC | Template:N/A | 89.34%<ref name="GameRankings 2000" /> | ||
| Wipeout 3 | Sony Computer Entertainment | September 8, 1999 | PS1 | 89/100 | 87.17% | ||
| Resident Evil 2 | Capcom | October 31, 1999 | N64 | 89/100 | 86.93% | ||
| Grandia | Entertainment Software Publishing | June 24, 1999 | PS1 | 89/100 | 85.87% | ||
| Descent 3 | Interplay Entertainment | June 17, 1999 | WIN | 89/100<ref name="Metacritic 2000" /> | 84.36%<ref name="GameRankings 2000" /> | ||
| Flight Unlimited III | Electronic Arts | September 17, 1999 | WIN | Template:N/A | 88.5% | ||
| NBA 2K | Sega | November 10, 1999 | DC | Template:N/A | 88.3% | ||
| NBA Live 2000 | EA Sports | October 31, 1999 | WIN | Template:N/A | 88% | ||
| Worms Armageddon | Team17 | January 29, 1999 | WIN | Template:N/A | 87.71% | ||
| All-Star Baseball 2000 | Acclaim Entertainment | April 8, 1999 | N64 | Template:N/A | 87.69% | ||
| EverQuest | Sony Online Entertainment | March 16, 1999 | WIN | 85/100 | 87.68% | ||
| Mario Golf | Nintendo | August 10, 1999 | GBC | Template:N/A | 87.65% | ||
| Driver | GT Interactive | June 25, 1999 | PS1 | 87/100 | 87.57% | ||
| RollerCoaster Tycoon | Hasbro Interactive | March 22, 1999 | WIN | Template:N/A | 87.54% |
Famitsu Platinum Hall of Fame
The following video game releases in 1999 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 | Publisher | Genre | Score (out of 40) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soulcalibur | DC | Namco | Fighting | 40 |
| Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram | DC | Sega | Shooter | 39 |
| Final Fantasy VIII | PS1 | Squaresoft | RPG | 37 |
| Dragon Quest Characters: Torneko no Daibōken 2 | PS1 | Enix | Roguelike | 37 |
| Sega Rally 2 | DC | Sega | Racing | 36 |
| Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū 6 (Power Pros 6) | N64 | Konami | Sports | 36 |
| Biohazard 3: Last Escape (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis) | PS1 | Capcom | Survival horror | 36 |
| Chrono Cross | PS1 | Squaresoft | RPG | 36 |
| Um Jammer Lammy | PS1 | Sony | Rhythm | 35 |
| SaGa Frontier 2 | PS1 | Squaresoft | RPG | 35 |
| Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers | PS1 | Atlus | RPG | 35 |
| Culdcept Expansion | PS1 | Media Factory | Turn-based strategy | 35 |
| Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 | SNES | Nintendo | SRPG | 35 |
Financial performance
Best-selling video game consoles
| Rank | Manufacturer | Game console | Type | Generation | Sales | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | United States | Europe | Worldwide | ||||||
| 1 | Sony | PS1 | Home | 32-bit | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
7,040,000<ref name="scei2" /> | 11,750,000<ref name="scei2" /> | 21,820,000<ref name="scei2" /> |
| 2 | Nintendo | GB / GBC | Handheld | 8-bit | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2,680,000+<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | Template:Unknown | 17,450,000<ref name=":422" /> |
| 3 | Nintendo | N64 | Home | 64-bit | 940,000<ref name=":422" /> | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Unknown | 6,490,000<ref name=":422" /> |
| 4 | Sega | DC | Home | 128-bit | 950,000<ref name=":222">Template:Cite journal</ref> | 1,700,000<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
3,150,000+ |
| 5 | Bandai | WS | Handheld | 16-bit | 1,400,000<ref name=":222" /> | Template:N/A | Template:Unknown | 1,400,000 | |
| 6 | Sega | GEN | Home | 16-bit | Template:N/A | {{#expr:12210*0.0353 round 0}},000<ref name="Clements & Ohashi2" /> | Template:Unknown | 431,000+ | |
| 7 | Nintendo | SNES | Home | 16-bit | 30,000<ref name=":422" /> | {{#expr:12210*0.0012 round 0}},000<ref name="Clements & Ohashi2" /> | Template:Unknown | 280,000<ref name=":422" /> | |
| 8 | Nintendo | NES | Home | 8-bit | 50,000<ref name=":422" /> | Template:N/A | Template:N/A | 50,000<ref name=":422" /> | |
| 9 | SNK | NGPC | Handheld | 16-bit | Template:Unknown | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Unknown | 25,000+ |
| 10 | Sega | SAT | Home | 32-bit | < 10,000<ref name=":222" /> | {{#expr:12,210,000*0.0005 round −2}}<ref name="Clements & Ohashi2" /> | Template:Unknown | 6,100+ | |
Best-selling home video games
The following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games (console games or computer games) of 1999 in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Sales | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | USA | UK | Germany | Combined | ||||
| 1 | Pokémon Red / Green / Blue / Yellow | GB | 998,666<ref name=":0" /> | {{#expr:3,000,000+3,100,000+2,800,000}}<ref name="IGN2">Template:Cite news</ref> | Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | {{#expr:998,666+8,900,000}}+ | |
| 2 | Final Fantasy VIII | PS1 | 3,538,000<ref name="Dengeki" /> | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | {{#expr:3,538,000+1,000,000}}+ |
| 3 | Pocket Monsters: Gold / Silver (Pokémon Gold / Silver) | GBC | 4,444,000<ref name="Dengeki" /> | Template:N/A | Template:N/A | Template:N/A | 4,444,000 | |
| 4 | Super Smash Bros. (Dai Rantō Smash Brothers) | N64 | 1,520,000<ref name=":1">Template:Citation</ref> | 1,300,000<ref name="IGN2" /> | Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | {{#expr:1,520,000+1,300,000}}+ | |
| 5 | Donkey Kong 64 | N64 | 739,000<ref name="Dengeki" /> | 1,900,000<ref name="IGN2" /> | Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | {{#expr:739,000+1,900,000}}+ | |
| 6 | Pokémon Pinball | GBC | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1,800,000<ref name="IGN2" /> | Template:N/A | Template:N/A | {{#expr:765,263+1,800,000}} |
| 7 | Pokémon Snap | N64 | 634,000<ref name="Dengeki" /> | 1,500,000<ref name="IGN2" /> | Template:N/A | Template:N/A | {{#expr:634,000+1,500,000}} | |
| 8 | Dance Dance Revolution / 2ndReMix | PS1 | {{#expr:1,005,441+899,000}}Template:Efn | Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | 1,904,441+ | |
| 9 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | 234,652<ref name=":0" /> | 1,300,000<ref name="IGN2" /> | Template:Unknown | 100,000+<ref name=":4" /> | {{#expr:234,652+1,300,000+100,000}}+ | |
| 10 | Driver | PS1 | Template:N/A | 1,200,000<ref name="IGN2" /> | 200,000+<ref name=":5"/> | 200,000+<ref name=":4"/> | {{#expr:1,200,000+200,000+200,000}}+ | |
The following titles were the top ten highest-grossing home video games of 1999 in the United States and Europe.
United States
In the United States, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1999.
Japan
In Japan, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1999.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Sales | First-day sales revenue | Inflation | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pocket Monsters: Gold / Silver (Pokémon Gold / Silver) | GBC | 4,444,000 | Template:Unknown | Template:Unknown | <ref name="Dengeki">Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
| 2 | Final Fantasy VIII | PS1 | 3,538,000 | ¥17,200,000,000 ($151,000,000) | $Template:Inflation | <ref name="Dengeki" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| 3 | Dance Dance Revolution / 2ndReMix | PS1 | {{#expr:1,005,441+899,000}} | colspan="2" Template:Unknown | Template:Efn | |
| 4 | Nintendo All Star! Dai Rantō Smash Brothers | N64 | 1,520,000+ | colspan="2" Template:Unknown | <ref name=":1"/> | |
| 5 | Biohazard 3: Last Escape (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis) | PS1 | 1,465,000 | colspan="2" rowspan="3" Template:Unknown | <ref name="Dengeki" /> | |
| 6 | Gran Turismo 2 | PS1 | 1,410,000 | |||
| 7 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark duel Stories | GBC | 1,208,000 | |||
| 8 | Pocket Monsters: Red / Green / Blue / Pikachu (Pokémon) | GB | 998,666 | colspan="2" Template:Unknown | <ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> | |
| 9 | Derby Stallion '99 | PS1 | 890,000 | colspan="2" rowspan="2" Template:Unknown | <ref name="Dengeki" /> | |
| 10 | Minna no Golf 2 (Everybody's Golf 2) | PS1 | 843,000 |
Europe
In Europe, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing home video games of 1999.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite news</ref>
| Rank | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher | Genre | Sales revenue | Inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tomb Raider III | Eidos Interactive | Action-adventure | €96,591,106 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation | |
| 2 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | Sony | Racing simulation | €94,444,000 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation |
| 3 | FIFA 99 | Electronic Arts | Sports | €86,316,959 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation | |
| 4 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | Nintendo | Action-adventure | €70,023,810 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation |
| 5 | Pokémon Red / Blue | GB | Nintendo | Role-playing | €{{#expr:31,863,870+28,525,054}} (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation |
| 6 | Tekken 3 | PS1 | Namco | Fighting | €57,209,778 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation |
| 7 | Tomb Raider II | Eidos Interactive | Action-adventure | €54,477,514 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation | |
| 8 | FIFA 2000 | Electronic Arts | Sports | €53,519,616 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation | |
| 9 | Colin McRae Rally | Codemasters | Racing | €51,584,666 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation | |
| 10 | Driver | GT Interactive | Driving | €43,112,063 (Template:US$) | $Template:Inflation |
In the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the following titles were the best-selling home video games of 1999.
| Rank | United Kingdom<ref name=":5">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Germany<ref name=":4">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | France | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Platform(s) | Sales | PS1 | Sales | PC | Sales | |||
| 1 | FIFA 2000 | 200,000+ | Driver | 200,000+ | Tiberian Sun | 200,000+ | Gran Turismo<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| 2 | Driver | 200,000+ | Metal Gear Solid | 200,000+ | Age of Empires II | 200,000+ | rowspan="4" Template:Unknown | ||
| 3 | Metal Gear Solid | PS1 | 200,000+ | Need for Speed 4 | 100,000+ | Die Siedler III | 100,000+ | ||
| 4 | Gran Turismo | PS1 | 200,000+ | FIFA 99 | 100,000+ | SimCity 3000 | 100,000+ | ||
| 5 | Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation | 200,000+ | Gran Turismo | 100,000+ | RollerCoaster Tycoon | 100,000+ | |||
Australia
In Australia, the following titles were the top ten best-selling console games of 1999.<ref name="Australia">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Rank | Title | Platform | Developer | Publisher | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pokémon Red / Blue / Yellow | GB | Game Freak | Nintendo | Role-playing |
| 2 | Need for Speed: High Stakes | PS1 | EA Canada | Electronic Arts | Racing |
| 3 | Gran Turismo (Platinum) | PS1 | Polys | Sony | Racing simulation |
| 4 | GoldenEye 007 | N64 | Rare | Nintendo | First-person shooter |
| 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Action-adventure |
| 6 | Mario Kart 64 | N64 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Kart racing |
| 7 | Super Smash Bros. | N64 | HAL Laboratory | Nintendo | Fighting |
| 8 | Crash Bandicoot 2 (Platinum) | PS1 | Naughty Dog | Sony | Platformer |
| 9 | Pokémon Pinball | GBC | Jupiter Corporation | Nintendo | Pinball |
| 10 | Pokémon Snap | N64 | HAL Laboratory | Nintendo | Photography |
Highest-grossing arcade games in Japan
In Japan, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1999.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
| Rank | Title | Developer | Manufacturer | Type | Genre | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virtua Striker 2 ver. 98 / 99 | Sega AM2 | Sega | Software | Sports | {{#expr:2863+3805}} |
| 2 | Dance Dance Revolution / 2ndMix | Bemani | Konami | Dedicated | Rhythm | {{#expr:2569+2804}} |
| 3 | Street Snap | Hitachi | Towa Japan | Other | Purikura | 3934 |
| 4 | Beatmania CompleteMix / 4thMix | Konami G.M.D. | Konami | Dedicated | Rhythm | {{#expr:1413+2223}} |
| 5 | The House of the Dead 2 | Sega AM1 | Sega | Dedicated | Light gun shooter | 3545 |
| 6 | Time Crisis 2 | Namco | Namco | Dedicated | Light gun shooter | 3164 |
| 7 | Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3) | Capcom | Capcom | Software | Fighting | 2946 |
| 8 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (JoJo's Venture) | Capcom | Capcom | Software | Fighting | 2891 |
| 9 | Super Purikura 21 | Atlus | Sega | Other | Purikura | 2381 |
| 10 | Puri Puri Canvas | Konami | Konami | Other | Purikura | 2295 |
Notable releases
Business
- February 22 – Sierra reorganizes to cut costs in what is widely referred to as the "Chainsaw Monday" Layoffs, closing several studios and their iconic former headquarters in Oakhurst, California. Some employees were given the option to relocate to their new headquarters in Bellevue, Washington.
- Midway Games stops using the Atari Games brand.
- New companies: 3d6 Games, 7 Studios, BAM!, Liquid Entertainment, Bohemia Interactive, 7FX
Acquisitions
- Activision acquires Elsinore Multimedia, Expert Software, and Neversoft Entertainment
- Infogrames Entertainment, SA acquires Accolade (Renamed Infogrames North America), Gremlin Interactive (renamed Infogrames Sheffield House), GT Interactive (GTIS), and Ozisoft
- Take-Two Interactive acquires TalonSoft
- ZeniMax Media acquires Bethesda Softworks
- Codemasters acquires Sensible Software
Lawsuits
- Nintendo v. Bung Enterprises Ltd.; Nintendo sues Bung over patent infringement
- Sony Corporation v. Bleem LLC