| List of years in video games |
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1992 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such asDragon Quest V,Final Fantasy V,Sonic the Hedgehog 2,Street Fighter II: Champion Edition,Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, andSuper Mario Kart, along with new titles such asArt of Fighting,Lethal Enforcers,Mortal Kombat andVirtua Racing.
The year's highest-grossing video game worldwide wasCapcom's arcadefighting gameStreet Fighter II for the second year in a row, while also being the year's highest-grossing entertainment product. The year's best-selling home system was theGame Boy for the third year in a row, while the year's best-selling home video games wereSonic the Hedgehog 2 for theSega Mega Drive/Genesis and theSuper Nintendo port ofStreet Fighter II, which were both also the year's highest-grossing home entertainment products.
| AMI | Amiga | Arcade | Arcade video game | ATRST | Atari ST,Atari Falcon |
| DOS | DOS /MS-DOS | GB | Game Boy | GG | Game Gear |
| GEN | Sega Genesis / Mega Drive | IBM | IBM Personal Computer,IBM PC compatible | LYNX | Atari Lynx |
| MAC | Classic Mac OS, 2001 and before | NEO | Neo Geo AES | NES | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom |
| PC88 | PC-8800 series | PC98 | PC-9800 series | PCD | TurboGrafx-CD / PC Engine CD-ROM² |
| PCE | TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine | SCD | Sega CD / Mega CD | SMS | Sega Master System |
| SNES | Super Nintendo / Super Famicom / Super Comboy |
| Action | Action game | Action-adventure | Action-adventure game | Adventure | Adventure game |
| Brawler | Beat 'em up | Educational | Educational video game | Fighting | Fighting game |
| FPS | First-person shooter | Platformer | Platformer | Puzzle | Puzzle video game |
| Racing | Racing game | RPG | Role-playing video game | RTS | Real-time strategy |
| Shoot 'em up | Shoot 'em up | Simulation | Simulation video game | Sports | Sports video game |
The following titles wonGame of the Year awards for 1992.
| Awards | Game of the Year | Publisher | Genre | Platform | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Tribune | Street Fighter II | Capcom | Fighting | SNES | [1] |
| Electronic Gaming Awards | [2] | ||||
| Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) | [3] | ||||
| European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) | [4] | ||||
| GameFan Golden Megawards | [5] | ||||
| Game Informer | [6] | ||||
| Golden Joystick Awards | [7][8] | ||||
| Gamest Awards | Street Fighter II Dash (Champion Edition) | Capcom | Fighting | Arcade | [9] |
| Chicago Tribune | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | Action-adventure | SNES | [1] |
| GameFan Golden Megawards | Cybernator (Assault Suits Valken) | Masaya Games | Run and gun | SNES | [5] |
| Streets of Rage 2 | Sega | Brawler | GEN | [5] | |
| Wonderdog | JVC Musical Industries | Platformer | SCD | [5] | |
| PC Engine Fan | Far East of Eden II: Manji Maru | Hudson Soft | RPG | PCD | [10] |
The following video game releases in 1992 enteredFamitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receivingFamitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.[11]
| Title | Developer | Publisher | Score (out of 40) | Genre | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome | Chunsoft | Enix | 36 | RPG | SNES |
| Shin Megami Tensei | Atlus | Atlus | 36 | ||
| I Love Mickey & Donald: Fushigi na Magic Box (World of Illusion) | Sega AM7 | Sega | 36 | Platformer | SCD |
| Street Fighter II | Capcom | Capcom | 35 | Fighting | SNES |
| Mario Paint | Nintendo R&D1 | Nintendo | 35 | Art |
The year's highest-grossing game worldwide wasStreet Fighter II, which alone accounted for an estimated 60% of the globalarcade game market, according toCoinslot magazine.[12][13] The following table lists the year's top-grossing arcade games in Japan, the United Kingdom, United States, and worldwide.
| Market | Title | Coin drop revenue | Inflation | Manufacturer | Genre | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | Unknown | Unknown | Capcom | Fighting | [14][15][16] |
| United Kingdom | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | $456 million | $1,022 million | Capcom | Fighting | [12] |
| United States | Street Fighter II /Champion Edition | Unknown | Unknown | Capcom | Fighting | [17][18] |
| Worldwide | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | Capcom | Fighting | [12] |
The following titles were the top ten highest-grossingarcade games of 1992 in Japan, according toGamest,Game Machine andFamicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazines.
| Rank | Gamest[14] | Game Machine[15] | Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu)[16] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Type | Points | |||
| 1 | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | Street Fighter II /Dash | Software kit | 7795 | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior |
| 2 | Street Fighter II Dash (Champion Edition) | Final Lap 2 | Standard/deluxe | 3821 | Final Lap 2 |
| 3 | Captain Commando | F1 Exhaust Note | Dedicated | 3464 | Street Fighter II Dash |
| 4 | Garō Densetsu: Shukumei no Tatakai (Fatal Fury) | Tetris (Sega) | Software kit | 3402 | F1 Exhaust Note |
| 5 | Final Lap 2 | Columns | Software kit | 3218 | Final Lap |
| 6 | Knights of the Round | Super Volley '91 (Power Spikes) | Software kit | 3140 | Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours |
| 7 | Sonic Wings (Aero Fighters) | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Dedicated | 2937 | Super Monaco GP |
| 8 | F-1 Grand Prix | Clutch Hitter | Software kit | 2748 | Driver's Eyes |
| 9 | WWF WrestleFest | Garō Densetsu: Shukumei no Tatakai | Software kit | 2401 | Tetris (Sega) |
| 10 | Hacha Mecha Fighter | Super Monaco GP | Standard/deluxe | 2347 | Virtua Racing |
In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1992.
On Australia'sTimezone monthly arcade charts published in the June 1992 issue ofLeisure Line magazine,Capcom'sStreet Fighter II: Champion Edition was the top-grossingarcade conversion kit andKonami'sX-Men was the top-grossing dedicatedarcade cabinet.[23]
| Rank | System(s) | Manufacturer | Type | Sales | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | USA | Europe | Korea | Worldwide | ||||
| 1 | GB | Nintendo | Handheld | 1,910,000[24] | 4,000,000[25] | 6,000,000[26] | Unknown | 11,910,000+ |
| 2 | SNES | Nintendo | Console | 3,580,000[24] | 5,600,000[27] | 2,030,000[28] | 20,000[29] | 11,230,000+ |
| 3 | GEN | Sega | Console | 400,000[24] | 5,100,000[27] | 2,660,000[28] | 76,000[29] | 8,236,000+ |
| 4 | NES | Nintendo | Console | 820,000[24] | 2,700,000[25] | 3,030,000[28] | 110,000[29] | 6,660,000+ |
| 5 | IBM | IBM | Computer | — | — | — | — | 3,400,000[30] |
| 6 | MAC | Apple Inc. | Computer | — | — | — | — | 2,500,000[31] |
| 7 | SMS | Sega | Console | — | < 50,000[32] | 2,235,000[28] | 180,000[29] | 2,415,000+ |
| 8 | Compaq (IBM) | Compaq | Computer | — | — | — | — | 1,500,000[30] |
| 9 | GG | Sega | Handheld | 250,000[24] | 800,000[32] | 320,000+ (UK)[33] | Unknown | 1,370,000+ |
| 10 | PC88, PC98 | NEC | Computer | 1,120,000[34][35] | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 1,120,000+ |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 andStreet Fighter II each sold5 million units worldwide in 1992,[36][37] making them the year's highest-grossing entertainment products.[38] The following home video games sold more than 1 million units worldwide in 1992.
| Rank | Title | Platform | Sales | Revenue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | United States | Europe | Worldwide | Nominal | Inflation | |||
| 1 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | GEN | Unknown | 2,000,000[39] | 1,750,000+[40][41] | 5,000,000[36] | $450 million[38] | $1,010 million |
| Street Fighter II | SNES | 2,000,000+[42][43] | 2,000,000[44] | 200,000+[45] | 5,000,000[37] | Unknown | Unknown | |
| 3 | Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome | SNES | 2,800,000[46][47] | — | — | 2,800,000+[48] | $200 million+[49] | $450 million+ |
| 4 | Super Mario Kart | SNES | 2,000,000+ | < 1,000,000[39] | — | 2,000,000+ | Unknown | |
| Final Fantasy V | SNES | 2,000,000+ | — | — | 2,000,000+ | |||
| 6 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | SNES | Unknown | 1,000,000[39] | Unknown | 1,000,000+ | ||
The following table lists the year's top-selling home video game releases in several markets, including Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
| Market | Title | Platform | Sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | GEN | 1,750,000+[40][41] | [50] |
| Japan | Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome | SNES | 2,800,000[46][47] | [51][52] |
| South Korea | Street Fighter II | SNES | Unknown | [50] |
| United States | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | GEN | 2,000,000 | [39] |
| Street Fighter II | SNES | 2,000,000 | [44] |
In Japan and South Korea, according toFamicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazine, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video game releases of 1992.
| Rank | Japan[51] | South Korea[50] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Platform | Sales | Title | Platform | |
| 1 | Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome[52] | SNES | 2,800,000[46][47] | Street Fighter II | SNES |
| 2 | Final Fantasy V | SNES | 2,000,000+[43][53] | Final Fantasy V | |
| 3 | Super Mario Kart | SNES | 2,000,000+[43] | Dragon Quest V | |
| 4 | Street Fighter II | SNES | 2,000,000+[42][43] | Arang Jeonseol (Fatal Fury) | |
| 5 | Romancing SaGa | SNES | < 1,170,000[54] | Ranma ½: Hard Battle | |
| 6 | Super Mario Land 2: 6-tsu no Kinka | GB | Unknown | — | |
| 7 | Mario Paint | SNES | |||
| 8 | Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu | SNES | < 730,000[55] | ||
| 9 | Hoshi no Kirby (Kirby's Dream Land) | GB | Unknown | ||
| 10 | Super Famista (Super Batter Up) | SNES | |||
The following titles were the top three best-selling home video game releases of 1992 in Europe and the United Kingdom.
| Rank | Europe[50] | United Kingdom[45] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Platform | Sales | Title | Platform | Sales | |
| 1 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | GEN | 1,750,000+[40][41] | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | GEN | 1,000,000+[40][56] |
| 2 | Road Rash II | GEN | Unknown | Street Fighter II | SNES | 200,000 |
| 3 | Mario Paint | SNES | Unknown | AMI | Unknown | |
In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the top-selling home video games of each month in 1992.
| Month | Game consoles | Home computers | Ref | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis | Super Nintendo | Master System | NES | Game Boy | Amiga | ZX Spectrum | ||
| January | WWF WrestleMania (home computers) | [57] | ||||||
| February | Robocod | — | Sonic the Hedgehog | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Super Mario Land | Grand Prix 1 | Unknown | [58][59] |
| March | QuackShot | — | Asterix | 1st Division Manager | Unknown | [60][61][62] | ||
| April | Desert Strike | Unknown | Project-X | Unknown | [63][61][64] | |||
| May | Unknown | Super Kick Off | John Madden[65] | Unknown | [66] | |||
| June | Unknown | Champions of Europe | Rescue Rangers | Sensible Soccer | Italia '90 | [67][68][69] | ||
| July | Taz-Mania | Unknown | Wimbledon | [70][71][72] | ||||
| August | Olympic Gold[61] | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Rainbow Islands | [73][74] | |
| September | Alien 3[61] | WWF Super WrestleMania | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | [75][76][77] | ||
| October | Street Fighter II (SNES) | [45][78] | ||||||
| November | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (GEN) | [45][61][79] | ||||||
| December | [80][81][82] | |||||||
In the United States, the following titles were the top three best-selling home video games of 1992.
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Genre | Sales | Platform | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sega | Platformer | 2,000,000 | GEN | [39] |
| Street Fighter II | Capcom | Fighting | 2,000,000 | SNES | [44] | |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 1,000,000 | SNES | [39] |
The following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month forvideo game consoles (home consoles andhandheld consoles) in 1992.
The following titles were the top-sellingpersonal computer games on the monthly PC Research charts in 1992, as reported byElectronic Games magazine.
But "Street Fighter II" has none of the charm and whimsy of the "Turtle" games and none of the innocence of other martial-arts games such as the first "Double Dragon." This game, depicting only brutal street fighting, was the biggest hit of 1992 and 1993, selling a worldwide total of8 million copies
Master GameGear
1992 0.0 0.8
Sega Enterprises'Sonic the Hedgehog 2, released in November, sold5 million units in sixty days.
The most important new contributor to Sega is Capcom Co., producer of the phenomenally successful Street Fighter II (five million unit sales last year). Capcom is widely known as the single biggest outside contributor to the Nintendo legend, but will launch software designed for Sega this spring.
Last year we did$450 million worldwide on one game, Sonic 2. That's more than any hit movie, more than any other entertainment property.
1992's top video-game sellers
Rank Company/Game Millions sold
1 Sega/ Sonic The Hedgehog 2 2.0
2 Capcom/ Street Fighter II 1.0
3 Nintendo/ The Legend of Zelda 1.0
Data: Company Reports
Initial orders forSonic The Hedgehog 2 game from Sega suggest it will become best-selling European title to date. First orders from UK, France, Germany, Spain and Austria totalled 1.5m units—0.75m in UK alone, worth £25m at retail.
DQ5 (the only SFC game in the series) sold close to 3 million last year.
DQ5 (the only SFC game in the series) sold close to 3 million last year.
The "Dragon Quest" sequels grossed several hundred million dollars apiece.
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