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:1988 in video games

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{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}

{{More citations needed|date=April 2020}}

{{Year nav topic5|1988|video games}}

1988 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest III, Super Contra, Super Mario Bros. 2, Mega Man 2, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, and Super Mario Bros. 3, along with new titles such as Assault, Altered Beast, Capcom Bowling, Ninja Gaiden, RoboCop, Winning Run and Chase H.Q.

The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were After Burner and After Burner II in Japan, Double Dragon in the United States, Operation Wolf in the United Kingdom, and RoboCop in Hong Kong. The year's best{{nbh}}selling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for the fifth year in a row, while the year's best-selling home video games were Dragon Quest III in Japan and Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt in the United States.

Events

Financial performance

=Highest-grossing arcade games=

==Japan==

In Japan, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1988, according to the annual Gamest and Game Machine charts.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2" | Rank

! colspan="2" | Gamest{{cite magazine|date=December 27, 1988|title=第２回ゲーメスト大賞 〜 年間ヒットゲームベスト100|trans-title=2nd Gamest Awards – Best 100 Hit Games of the Year|url=https://archive.org/details/gamest0029/page/n44|magazine=Gamest|language=ja|volume=29 (February 1989)|pages=25–41 (41)}} [http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v029.html alternate url]

! colspan="3" | Game Machine{{cite magazine |title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '88 / "Game of the Year '88" By Game Machine |magazine=Game Machine |issue=348 |publisher=Amusement Press, Inc. |date=15 January 1989 |pages=10–1, 26 |lang=ja |url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19890115p.pdf#page=6}}

Title

!Manufacturer

! Title

! Type

! Points

1

| After Burner

|Sega

| After Burner / After Burner II

| Cockpit cabinet

| 3624

2

| World Stadium

|Namco

| Operation Wolf

| Upright cabinet

| 3569

3

| Gradius II

|Konami

| Final Lap

| Deluxe / Standard

| {{#expr:2264+1304}}

4

| Out Run

|Sega

| Kyukyoku Tiger (Twin Cobra)

| Conversion kit

| 3192

5

| Final Lap

|Namco

| World Stadium

| Conversion kit

| 3105

6

| R-Type

|Irem

| R-Type

| Conversion kit

| 3074

7

| Super Hang-On

|Sega

| Out Run

| Deluxe cabinet

| 2921

8

| Street Fighter

|Capcom

| Hi Sho Zame (Flying Shark)

| Conversion kit

| 2109

9

| Kyukyoku Tiger (Twin Cobra)

|Toaplan

| Galaga '88

| Conversion kit

| 1990

10

| Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2

|Taito

| Gradius II

| Conversion kit

| 1939

==Hong Kong and United States==

In Hong Kong and the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1988.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="3" | Rank

! Hong Kong

! colspan="3" | United States

rowspan="2" | Bondeal{{cite magazine|date=6 April 1989|title=The World's Largest Arcade|url=https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_20_1989-05_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n22/mode/1up|magazine=ACE|issue=20 (May 1989)|page=23}}

! rowspan="2" | Play Meter

! colspan="2" | AMOA{{cite magazine |title=AMOA Awards Nominees |magazine=Cash Box |date=1988-09-10 |page=27 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox52unse_8/page/27 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}{{cite magazine |title=Coin Machine: AMOA Jukebox, Games & Cig Vending Awards Winners |magazine=Cash Box |date=November 26, 1988 |page=30 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox52unse_19/page/n29}}

Dedicated cabinet

! Conversion kit

1

| RoboCop

| Double Dragon{{cite magazine |title=1988 |magazine=Play Meter |date=December 1994 |volume=20 |issue=13 |page=80 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-20-number-13-december-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%2013%20-%20December%201994/page/80}}

| Double Dragon

| Shinobi

2

| Chequered Flag

| rowspan="4" {{Unknown}}

| rowspan="4" | Out Run,
After Burner,
Operation Wolf,
Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja

| rowspan="4" | Twin Eagle,
Heavy Barrel,
Capcom Bowling,
Time Soldiers

3

| Devastators

4

| P.O.W.

5

| Vindicators

6

| Sky Soldiers

| rowspan="5" {{Unknown}}

| colspan="2" rowspan="5" {{N/A}}

7

| Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja

8

| Blasteroids

9

| Vigilante

10

| Xybots

==United Kingdom==

Operation Wolf was the top-earning arcade game of 1988 in the United Kingdom.{{cite magazine|title=Operation Wolf|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=153|pages=34–41|first=Martyn|last=Carroll|date=April 2016|url=https://issuu.com/michelfranca/docs/retro_gamer____153}}{{cite magazine |title=Reviews: Operation Wolf |magazine=Computer and Video Games |date=November 1988 |issue=86 (December 1988) |pages=20–5 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-086/page/n19/mode/2up}} The following titles were the top-grossing games on the monthly arcade charts in 1988.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! Month

! Title

! Manufacturer

! Genre

! class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref|Reference}}

January

| rowspan="3" | Operation Wolf

| rowspan="3" | Taito

| rowspan="3" | Light gun shooter

| {{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=February 1988 |issue=27 (March 1988) |pages=22–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-27/page/n21/mode/2up}}

February

| {{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=10 March 1988 |issue=28 (April 1988) |pages=22–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-28/page/n21/mode/2up}}

March

| {{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=13 April 1988 |issue=29 (May 1988) |pages=38–9 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-29/page/n37/mode/2up}}

April

| {{Unknown}}

| {{Unknown}}

| {{Unknown}}

| {{Unknown}}

May

| {{Unknown}}

| {{Unknown}}

| {{Unknown}}

| {{Unknown}}

June

| Street Fighter

| Capcom

| Fighting

| {{cite magazine |title=Top Five Dedicated Games |magazine=Sinclair User |date=18 July 1988 |issue=77 (August 1988) |url=https://archive.org/details/sinclair-user-magazine-077/page/n81/mode/1up}}

1988

! colspan="3" | Operation Wolf

!

= Best-selling home systems =

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" | Rank

! rowspan="2" | System(s)

! rowspan="2" | Manufacturer

! rowspan="2" | Type

! rowspan="2" | Generation

! colspan="4" | Sales

Japan

! USA

! EU

! Worldwide

1

|Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom

|Nintendo

|Console

|8-bit

|1,590,000{{Cite journal|last=小川 (Ogawa)|first=純生 (Sumio)|date=2010-12-14|title=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.pdf|journal=経営論集 (Keiei Ronshū)|language=ja|publication-date=March 2011|issue=77|pages=1–17 (2)|issn=0286-6439|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725185700/www.toyo.ac.jp/uploaded/attachment/3049.pdf|archive-date=2015-07-25|access-date=2021-12-06|via=Toyo University Academic Information Repository (Toyo University)}}

|7,000,000{{Cite news|last=Penenberg|first=Adam L.|date=1994-04-17|title=Games Designer Faces Crucial Tests On Videos' Content|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/17/nyregion/games-designer-faces-crucial-tests-on-videos-content.html|access-date=2021-12-07|issn=0362-4331}}

| {{Unknown}}

|8,590,000+

2

|Mark III / Master System

|Sega

|Console

|8-bit

|240,000{{cite book|last1=Tanaka|first1=Tatsuo|url=http://www.stat.go.jp/english/info/meetings/iaos/pdf/tanaka.pdf#page=2|title=Network Externality and Necessary Software Statistics|date=August 2001|publisher=Statistics Bureau of Japan|page=2}}

|{{formatnum:{{#expr:8000000*0.13 round -5}}

}{{cite news |title=Holiday Gift Guide: Fantasy Games Remain Popular With Young Video Fans |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/aiken-standard-dec-01-1988-p-21/ |access-date=8 December 2021 |work=Aiken Standard |date=1 December 1988 |page=21}}

|{{formatnum:{{#expr:350000-155000}}|}}{{cite magazine |title=Europe: consoles contre micros |trans-title=Europe: consoles against microphones |magazine=Tilt |page=23 |lang=fr |url=https://i.imgur.com/qUXeIkm.jpg}}{{Cite magazine|date=March 1988|title=Las Vegas, un coup de joystick dans le sable|trans-title=Las Vegas, a joystick in the sand|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Tilt/tilt_numero052/TILT%20-%20n052%20-%20mars%201988%20-%20page018%20et%20019.jpg|magazine=Tilt|language=fr|issue=52|pages=18–23 (19)}}

|1,435,000+

|-

|3

|Commodore 64

|Commodore

|Computer

|8-bit

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

|1,250,000{{Cite web|last=Reimer|first=Jeremy|date=2005-12-15|title=Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures|url=https://arstechnica.com/features/2005/12/total-share/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-27|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607023023/http://arstechnica.com:80/features/2005/12/total-share/ |archive-date=June 7, 2012}}

  • {{cite web |author=Jeremy Reimer |date=2012-12-07 |title=Total Share: Personal Computer Market Share 1975-2010 |url=https://jeremyreimer.com/rockets-item.lsp?p=137 |website=Jeremy Reimer}}

|-

|4

|IBM Personal Computer (IBM PC)

|IBM

|Computer

|16-bit

| {{Unknown}}

|1,229,000{{Cite magazine|last=The Bandito|date=September 1989|title=Roomers: Number Crunching|url=https://archive.org/details/amazing-computing-magazine-1989-09/page/n69/mode/2up|magazine=Amazing Computing for the Commodore Amiga|volume=4|issue=9|pages=67-70 (69-70)}}

| {{Unknown}}

|1,229,000+

|-

|5

|Mac

|Apple Inc.

|Computer

|16-bit

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

|900,000

|-

|6

|PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16

|NEC

|Console

|16-bit

|830,000

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

|830,000

|-

|7

|NEC UltraLite / PC-88 / PC-98

|NEC

|Computer

|8-bit / 16-bit

|{{#expr:1375*0.51 round -1}},000{{Cite book|last1=Dedrick|first1=Jason|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNHhBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA83|title=Asia's Computer Challenge: Threat or Opportunity for the United States and the World?|last2=Kraemer|first2=Kenneth L.|date=1998-08-20|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-028398-8|pages=83}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ch1NAQAAIAAJ|title=Japan Electronics Almanac|date=1990|publisher=Dempa Publications|page=145|quote=The domestic shipment value of personal computers in fiscal 1988 totaled {{JPY|649 billion}} (up 23 percent over fiscal 1987); the domestic shipment volume was 1,375,000 (up 14 percent over 1987). The value of domestic shipments has recorded annual growth. Conversely, the volume of domestic shipments of personal computers stabilized at the 1,200,000-nit mark for four years beginning in fiscal 1984. However, this volume began to increase rapidly in fiscal 1988.}}

|{{formatnum:{{#expr:115.8/1.215 round 0}},000}}+{{Cite magazine|date=8 January 1990|title=Amid industry pessiminism, micro sales rose|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FMbci6pHoa0C&pg=PA34|magazine=Computerworld|publisher=IDG Enterprise|volume=24|issue=2|page=34|issn=0010-4841}}

| {{Unknown}}

|795,000+

|-

|8

|Mega Drive / Genesis

|Sega

|Console

|16-bit

|400,000

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

|400,000

|-

|9

|Amiga

|Commodore

|Computer

|16-bit

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

|400,000

|-

|10

|Compaq IBM PC compatible

|Compaq

|Computer

|8-bit / 16-bit

| {{Unknown}}

|{{formatnum:{{#expr:469.5/1.285 round 0}},000}}+

| {{Unknown}}

|365,000+

|}

= Best-selling home video games =

==Japan==

The following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1988 in Japan, according to the annual Family Computer Magazine (Famimaga) charts.{{cite magazine |title=グーム売上ベスト10 |trans-title=Best 10 Game Sales |magazine=Family Computer Magazine |date=12 February 1989 |publisher=Tokuma Shoten |page=116 |url=https://archive.org/details/famimagafebruary1989/page/n106 |lang=ja}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! Rank

! Title

! Platform

! Developer

! Publisher

! Genre(s)

! Sales

1

| Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e...

|Famicom

| Chunsoft

| Enix

| Role-playing

| 3,800,000{{Cite journal|last=Fujii|first=Daiji|date=2005-06-10|title=The Birth of "Final Fantasy": Square Corporation|url=http://ousar.lib.okayama-u.ac.jp/40488|journal=岡山大学経済学会雑誌 (Okayama Economic Review)|publisher=Okayama University|volume=37|issue=1|pages=63–88 (67–71)|issn=0386-3069|via=Okayama University Scientific Achievement Repository}}

2

| Super Mario Bros. 3

|Famicom

| Nintendo R&D4

| Nintendo

| Platform

| {{Unknown}}

3

| Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium '87

|Famicom

| Namco

| Namco

| Sports (baseball)

| < 1,300,000{{cite web |title=Japan Platinum Game Chart |url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml |website=The Magic Box |access-date=15 March 2021 |archive-date=January 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101043949/http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml |url-status=dead }}

4

| Kyūkyoku Harikiri Stadium

|Famicom

| Taito

| Taito

|Sports (baseball)

| {{Unknown}}

5

| Captain Tsubasa (Tecmo Cup Soccer Game)

|Famicom

| Tecmo

| Tecmo

| Sports (association football)

| < 700,000{{cite web |title=Game Search |url=https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search |website=Game Data Library |publisher=Famitsu |access-date=12 September 2021}}

6

| Momotaro Densetsu

|Famicom

| Hudson Soft

| Hudson Soft

| Role-playing

| {{Unknown}}

7

| Dragon Ball: Daimaō Fukkatsu

|Famicom

| TOSE

| Bandai

| Role-playing / card battle

| < 530,000{{cite book |chapter=Dragon Ball Video Game Data |title=Dragon Ball 30th Anniversary: Super History Book |year=2016 |publisher=Shueisha |isbn=978-4-08-792505-0 |page=216}}

8

| Saint Seiya: Ōgon Densetsu

|Famicom

| TOSE

| Bandai

| Action role-playing

| {{Unknown}}

9

| Final Fantasy

|Famicom

| Squaresoft

| Squaresoft

| Role-playing

| < 520,000{{cite web|url=http://gamez.itmedia.co.jp/games/articles/0912/17/news104.html|title=日々是遊戯：もっとも売れたのはどれ？ 歴代「FF」シリーズの出荷本数をまとめてみました|website=ITmedia Gamez|access-date=December 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214164315/http://gamez.itmedia.co.jp/games/articles/0912/17/news104.html|archive-date=December 14, 2018|url-status=live}}

10

| Gegege no Kitaro: Youkai Daimakyou (Ninja Kid)

|Famicom

| TOSE

| Bandai

| Platform

| {{Unknown}}

==United Kingdom and United States==

In the United States, the NES Action Set bundled with Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt was the best-selling toy of 1988.{{cite magazine |title=Tops in Toyland |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |date=1989 |volume=106 |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2lbuAAAAMAAJ |publisher=U.S. News Publishing Corporation |quote=Best-selling toys of 1988 (...) 1. Action set (Nintendo)}} The same year, Super Mario Bros. 2 became one of the best-selling cartridges of all time,{{cite magazine |title=Game Boy Cartridges: Super Mario Land |magazine=TV Guide |date=1989 |volume=37 |issue=48–52 |page=32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-A4AAAAIAAJ |quote=Last year, "Super Mario Bros. 2" became one of the best selling cartridges of all time.}} Super Mario Bros. 2 and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link were the top-selling cartridges during the holiday season,{{cite news |last1=Schultz |first1=Sean |title=Nintendo Power Set tops list for Santa |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13646713/green-bay-press-gazette/ |access-date=13 September 2021 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |date=3 December 1988 |pages=13}} and The Legend of Zelda and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! each crossed {{nowrap|2 million}} sales between 1987 and 1988.{{cite book |last1=Lindner |first1=Richard |title=Video Games: Past, Present and Future; An Industry Overview |date=1990 |publisher=Nintendo of America |location=United States |url=https://archive.org/details/06Kahle001551}}

The following titles were the top-selling home video games of each month in the United Kingdom and United States during 1988.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" | Month

! colspan="2" | United Kingdom

! colspan="4" | United States

All systems

! ZX Spectrum

! Weeks 1-2

! Weeks 3-4

! Platform

! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference}}

{{dtsJanuary}}

| {{Unknown}}

| Out Run

| Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!{{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=February 1988 |volume=6 |issue=11 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_feb88.pdf}}

| Top Gun{{cite magazine|date=19 February 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 2月5日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: February 5|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4152-famitsu-issue-0043-february-19-1988/|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=4|page=16|lang=ja}}

| rowspan="4" | NES

| rowspan="4" |

{{dtsFebruary}}

| {{Unknown}}

| rowspan="2" | Platoon{{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=12 May 1988 |issue=30 (June 1988) |pages=40–1 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-30/page/n39/mode/2up}}

| colspan="2" | Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!{{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=March 1988 |volume=6 |issue=12 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_mar88.pdf}}

{{dtsMarch}}

| {{Unknown}}

| Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!{{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=April 1988 |volume=7 |issue=1 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_apr88.pdf}}

| The Legend of Zelda{{cite magazine|date=9 April 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 4月15日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: April 15|url=https://archive.org/details/famitsu-1988-apr-9/page/10|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=9|page=10|lang=ja}}

{{dtsApril}}

| {{Unknown}}

| We Are the Champions{{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=14 June 1988 |issue=31 (July 1988) |pages=50–1 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-31/page/n49/mode/2up}}

| colspan="2" | Ice Hockey{{cite magazine|date=20 May 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 4月28日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: April 28|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4157-famitsu-issue-0049-may-20-1988/|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=10|page=10|lang=ja}}

{{dts|May}}

| Steve Davis Snooker{{cite magazine |title=All Formats Combined Chart|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=81 (July 1988)|publisher=EMAP|date=15 June 1988|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-081/page/n7/mode/2up|access-date=20 December 2021}}

| Target: Renegade{{cite magazine |title=Street Life |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=12 July 1988 |issue=32 (August 1988) |pages=22–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-32/page/n21/mode/2up}}

| Ice Hockey

| The Legend of Zelda

| NES

| {{cite magazine|date=17 June 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 6月3日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: June 3|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4361-famitsu-issue-0051-june-17-1988/|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=12|page=10|lang=ja}}

{{dts|June}}

| colspan="2" | Target: Renegade (ZX Spectrum){{cite magazine|date=15 July 1988|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-082/page/n10|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=82 (August 1988)|pages=9, 11}}

| Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!{{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=July 1988 |volume=7 |issue=4 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_jul88.pdf}}

| The Legend of Zelda{{cite magazine|date=29 July 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 7月15日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: July 15|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4454-famitsu-issue-0054-july-29-1988/|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=15|page=10|lang=ja}}

| rowspan="3" | NES

| rowspan="3" |

{{dts|July}}

| colspan="2" | Football Manager 2{{cite magazine|date=16 August 1988|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-083/page/n10|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=83 (September 1988)|pages=9, 11}}

| The Legend of Zelda

| Double Dragon{{cite magazine|date=2 September 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 8月19日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: August 19|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4476-famitsu-issue-0056-september-2-1988/|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=17|page=10|lang=ja}}

{{dts|August}}

| Football Manager 2{{cite magazine|date=16 September 1988|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-084/page/n10|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=84 (October 1988)|pages=9, 11}}

| European Five-a-Side

| R.B.I. Baseball

| Double Dragon{{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=September 1988 |volume=7 |issue=6 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_sep88.pdf}}

{{dts|September}}

| Bomb Jack{{cite magazine|date=15 October 1988|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-085/page/n10|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=85 (November 1988)|pages=11, 15}}

| Football Manager 2

| colspan="2" | Double Dragon

| NES

| {{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=October 1988 |volume=7 |issue=7 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_oct88.pdf}}

{{dts|October}}

| Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge{{cite magazine|date=November 1988|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-086/page/n11|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=86 (December 1988)|page=12}}

| Bomb Jack

| colspan="2" rowspan="3" | Super Mario Bros. 2

| rowspan="3" |NES

| {{cite magazine|date=11 November 1988|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 10月28日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: October 28|url=https://archive.org/details/famitsu61november1988/page/n10|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1988|issue=22|page=10|lang=ja}}

{{dts|November}}

| colspan="2" | Last Ninja 2{{cite magazine|date=16 December 1988|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-087/page/n8|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=87 (January 1989)|pages=9, 19}}

| {{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=December 1988 |volume=7 |issue=9 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_dec88.pdf}}

{{dts|December}}

| Operation Wolf{{cite web|last1=Cundy|first1=Matt|date=25 December 2007|title=Every Christmas Top 10 from the last 20 years|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/every-christmas-top-10-from-the-last-20-years/11/|access-date=9 March 2021|website=GamesRadar|page=11}}

| RoboCop{{cite magazine|date=January 1989|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-088/page/n11/mode/1up|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=88 (February 1989)|pages=9, 12}}

| {{cite magazine |title=Top Ten Videogames |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=January 1989 |volume=7 |issue=10 |page=1 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_jan89.pdf}}{{cite magazine|date=3 February 1989|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: 1月20日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: January 20|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4567-famitsu-issue-0067-february-3-1989/|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1989|issue=3|page=14|lang=ja}}

1988

! colspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt

! NES

!

Top-rated games

=Major awards=

==Japan==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! rowspan="2" | Award

! 2nd Gamest Awards
(December 1988){{cite magazine |title=第２回ゲーメスト大賞 |trans-title=2nd Gamest Awards |magazine=Gamest |date=December 27, 1988 |volume=29 (February 1989) |url=https://archive.org/details/gamest0029/page/n28 |pages=25–41 |lang=ja}} [http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v029.html alternate url]

! 3rd Famitsu Best Hit Game Awards
(February 1989){{cite magazine |title='88 ベストヒットゲーム大賞 |trans-title='88 Best Hit Game Awards |magazine=Famicom Tsūshin |date=3 February 1989 |volume=1989 |issue=3 |pages=6–9 |url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4567-famitsu-issue-0067-february-3-1989/ |lang=ja}}

! 3rd Famimaga Game Awards
(February 1989){{cite magazine |title=1988 ファミマガゲーム大賞 |trans-title=1988 Famimaga Game Awards |magazine=Family Computer Magazine |date=12 February 1989 |publisher=Tokuma Shoten |pages=116–7 |url=https://archive.org/details/famimagafebruary1989/page/n106 |lang=ja}}

Arcade

!Console

!Famicom

Game of the Year

| Gradius II

| colspan="2" | Dragon Quest III (Famicom)

Critics' Choice Awards

| {{N/A}}

| Dragon Spirit (PC Engine)
Sangokushi (Famicom)
Nobunaga no Yabō: Zenkokuban (Famicom)
Family Circuit (Famicom)
Captain Tsubasa (Famicom)
Chô Wakusei Senki Metafight (Famicom)
Rockman (Famicom)

| {{N/A}}

Best Arcade Conversion

| {{N/A}}

| R-Type (PC Engine)

| {{N/A}}

Best Playability

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Super Mario Bros. 3

Best Scenario / Story

| {{N/A}}

| Final Fantasy (Famicom)

| {{N/A}}

Best Graphics

| Forgotten Worlds

| Alien Crush (PC Engine)

| {{N/A}}

Best Music / Sound

| The Ninja Warriors

| Galaga '88 (PC Engine)

| Dragon Quest III

Special Award

| After Burner II

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Original / Frontier Spirit / Spotlight

| Syvalion

| No-Ri-Ko (PC Engine CD-ROM²)

| Captain Tsubasa

Best Character / Character Design

| Bravoman (Bravoman)

| Dragon Quest III (Famicom)

| Super Mario Bros. 3

Best Game Company

| Namco

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Action Game

| {{N/A}}

| colspan="2" | Super Mario Bros. 3 (Famicom)

Best Shooter / Shoot 'Em Up

| Gradius II / Ultimate Tiger

| Gradius II (Famicom)

| {{N/A}}

Best RPG

| {{N/A}}

| colspan="2" | Dragon Quest III (Famicom)

Best Action RPG

| {{N/A}}

| Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (Sega Mark III)

| {{N/A}}

Best Adventure Game

| {{N/A}}

| Famicom Detective Club (Famicom)
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (Famicom)

| Famicom Detective Club

Best Simulation / Strategy Game

| {{N/A}}

| colspan="2" | Famicom Wars (Famicom)

Best Sports Game

| World Stadium

| {{N/A}}

| Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium '87

Best Puzzle Game

| {{N/A}}

| Tetris (Famicom)

| {{N/A}}

Best Value for Money

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Dragon Quest III

Best Ending

| Gradius II

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Performance

| {{N/A}}

| Ninja Ryūkenden (Ninja Gaiden)

| {{N/A}}

Best Commercial

| {{N/A}}

| Famicom Wars (Famicom)

| {{N/A}}

== United Kingdom ==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! rowspan="2" | Award

! Sinclair User Awards
(December 1988){{cite magazine |title=Coin-Ops: SU Awards '88 |magazine=Sinclair User |date=18 December 1988 |issue=82 (January 1989) |pages=98–9 |url=https://archive.org/details/sinclair-user-magazine-082/page/n97}}

! colspan="3" | 6th Golden Joystick Awards
(April 1989){{cite magazine|date=16 May 1989|title=Golden Joystick Awards 1989|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_092_1989-06_EMAP_Publishing_GB/Computer__Video_Games_Issue_092_1989-06_EMAP_Publishing_GB#page/n61|magazine=Computer and Video Games|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=92 (June 1989)|pages=62–3}}

Arcade

! 8-bit computer

! 16-bit computer

! Console

Game of the Year

| colspan="2" | Operation Wolf

| Speedball

| Thunder Blade (Master System)

Best Arcade / Coin-Op Conversion

| {{N/A}}

| colspan="2" | Operation Wolf

| {{N/A}}

Best Graphics

| {{N/A}}

| Armalyte

| Rocket Ranger

| {{N/A}}

Best VGM / Soundtrack

| {{N/A}}

| Bionic Commando

| International Karate +

| {{N/A}}

Best Original Game

| Dynamite Düx

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Software House

| {{N/A}}

| Ocean Software

| Mirrorsoft

| {{N/A}}

Best Progammer

| {{N/A}}

| John Phillips

| The Bitmap Brothers

| {{N/A}}

Best Shooter / Shoot 'Em Up

| Galaxy Force

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Beat 'Em Up

| Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Adventure Game

| {{N/A}}

| Corruption

| Fish!

| {{N/A}}

Best Simulation Game

| {{N/A}}

| MicroProse Soccer

| Falcon

| {{N/A}}

Best Racing Game

| Power Drift

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

== United States ==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! rowspan="2" | Award

! colspan="2" | Computer Gaming World
(November 1988){{cite magazine | title=Video Gaming World |magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=November 1988 |author1=Kunkel, Bill |author2=Worley, Joyce |author3=Katz, Arnie |pages=54, 56 |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_53.pdf#page=54}}

! Electronic Gaming Monthly
(1989){{cite magazine|date=1989|title=The 1989 "Player's Choice" Awards|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/64/EGM_US_BuyersGuide_1989.pdf#page=18|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=1989 Buyer's Guide|pages=18–20}}

! colspan="2" | Computer Entertainer Awards of Excellence
(January 1989){{cite magazine |title=1988 Awards of Excellence Announced! |magazine=Computer Entertainer |date=January 1989 |volume=7 |issue=10 |page=3 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_jan89.pdf#page=3}}

! colspan="2" | VideoGames & Computer Entertainment
(February 1989){{cite magazine|last1=Katz|first1=Arnie|date=February 1989|title=The Year's Best Video And Computer Games: Our Editors Pick The Outstanding Cartridges And Disks Of 1988|url=https://archive.org/details/vgce_02/page/n55|magazine=VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|issue=2|pages=56–68}}

Master System

! NES

! Console

! Console

! Computer

! Console

! Computer

Game of the Year

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Double Dragon (NES)

| Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
Phantasy Star (SMS)

| {{N/A}}

| Zaxxon 3D
(Master System)

| Superstar Ice Hockey

Entertainment
Program of the Year

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Rocket Ranger (AMI)
Wizardry IV (APL2)
Bubble Ghost (GS)
Captain Blood (ST)
Pool of Radiance (C64)
Battlehawks 1942 (IBM PC)
The Colony (Mac)

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Arcade Conversion

| Out Run

| Arkanoid

| Rampage (Master System)

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| colspan="2" | Arkanoid (NES)

Best Graphics

| rowspan="2" | Rocky

| rowspan="2" | Side Pocket

| Phantasy Star (SMS)

| rowspan="2" {{N/A}}

| rowspan="2" | King's Quest IV

| rowspan="2" | Side Pocket (NES)

| rowspan="2" | Rocket Ranger

Sound / Soundtrack

| {{N/A}}

Original / Innovative

| {{N/A}}

| Jaws

| Blaster Master (NES)

| Monopoly (Master System)

| Battle Chess

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Action / Arcade-Style

| Space Harrier

| R.C. Pro-Am

| rowspan="2" | Contra (NES)

| {{N/A}}

| Chop N' Drop

| Blaster Master (NES)

| Skate or Die!

Shooter / Target Game

| Missile Defense 3-D

| Hogan's Alley

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Adventure Game
/ Fantasy

| {{N/A}}

| The Legend of Zelda

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Manhunter: New York

| The Legend of Zelda
(NES)

| Neuromancer

Best Strategy Game

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Decisive Battles

| Monopoly (NES)

| The Fool's Errand

Best Simulation
/ Simulator

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| P51 Mustang Flight Sim
PT-109 (Mac)

| {{N/A}}

| Test Drive

Best Sports Game

| Great Volleyball

| Pro Wrestling

| Bases Loaded (NES)

| Ice Hockey (NES)
Great Basketball (SMS)

| Star Rank Boxing (APL2)
Fast Break (C64)
Jack Nicklaus Golf (PC)

| Bases Loaded (NES)

| Super Bowl Sunday

Best Action-Strategy

| Monopoly

| Raid on Bungeling Bay

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Tetris

Designer of the Year

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

|Ezra Sidran

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Best Educational

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Mixed-Up Mother Goose

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

Most Humorous

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Shufflepuck Café (Mac)

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

=''Famitsu'' Platinum Hall of Fame=

The following 1988 video game releases entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.{{cite web |title=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 |trans-title=Weekly Famitsu Cross Review Platinum Hall of Fame Software List |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/cross_review/index.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027205828/http://geimin.net/da/db/cross_review/index.php |website=Geimin |language=ja |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 27, 2008 |access-date=24 February 2021 }}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

! Title

! Score (out of 40)

! Developer

! Publisher

! Genre

! Platform

Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e... (Dragon Warrior III)

| 38

| Chunsoft

| Enix

| rowspan="2" | RPG

| rowspan="3" | Family Computer (Famicom)

Final Fantasy II

| 35

| Squaresoft

| Squaresoft

Super Mario Bros. 3

| 35

| Nintendo EAD

| Nintendo

| Platform

Business

Notable releases

=Arcade=

=Home=

=Hardware=

File:Sega-Mega-Drive-JP-Mk1-Console-Set.jpg]]

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{History of video games}}

Category:Video games by year