1997 in video games

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1997 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as GoldenEye 007, Star Fox 64, Tomb Raider II, Final Fantasy VII, Ultima Online, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, as well as new titles such as Everybody's Golf, I.Q.: Intelligent Qube, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, Gran Turismo, Diablo, Grand Theft Auto, Fallout and PaRappa the Rapper.

Events

June 19–21 – The 3rd annual E3 is held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.^[1]
October 4 – Gunpei Yokoi (1941–1997) dies after a double car accident.
November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA) launched.
TSR, Inc., the owner of the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game, was acquired by Wizards of the Coast.
3D Realms begins production of the infamous Duke Nukem Forever, winner of numerous vaporware awards.
A scene from the Pokémon anime show (based upon the highly successful games) from December 16, 1997, causes 685 Japanese children to have seizures, causing Nintendo to make a statement proclaiming the safety of the Pokémon games from fear that the games would cause a similar effect, the episode to be permanently removed from circulation, and the featured Pokémon in the episode (Porygon) hasn't made an appearance in the Pokémon anime since.
The popular online gaming portal Cool Math Games went online for the first time.

Best-selling games (Japan)

Best-selling games of 1997 (Japan)^[2]
Rank	Title	Platform	Sales	Developer	Publisher	Genre
1	Pokémon Red / Green / Blue	Game Boy	3,995,988	Game Freak	Nintendo	RPG
2	Final Fantasy VII	PlayStation	3,277,290	Squaresoft	Squaresoft	RPG
3	Derby Stallion	PlayStation	1,581,138	ASCII	ASCII	Simulation
4	Final Fantasy Tactics	PlayStation	1,237,328	Squaresoft	Squaresoft	Tactical RPG
5	SaGa Frontier	PlayStation	1,057,263	Square Product Development Division 2	Squaresoft	RPG
6	Everybody's Golf	PlayStation	1,023,168	Camelot Software Planning	Sony Computer Entertainment	Sports
7	PaRappa the Rapper	PlayStation	761,621	NanaOn-Sha	Sony Computer Entertainment	Rhythm
8	I.Q.: Intelligent Qube	PlayStation	749,138	G-Artists	Sony Computer Entertainment	Puzzle
9	Tamagotchi	Game Boy	746,383	Tom Create	Bandai	Breeding simulation
10	Mario Kart 64	Nintendo 64	731,385	Nintendo EAD	Nintendo	Kart racing

Notable releases

Video game platforms

GBC	Game Boy Color
Mac	Classic Mac OS / macOS
N64	Nintendo 64
Neo	Neo Geo

NeoCD	Neo-Geo CD
Pippin	Apple Bandai Pippin
PS1	PlayStation
Sat	Sega Saturn

SMD	Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
SNES	Super Nintendo Entertainment System / Super Famicom
Win	Microsoft Windows

Notable releases of the year *1997*
Release	Title	Windows / DOS	4th Gen	5th Gen	Handheld	Arcade
January 3	Diablo	Yes	N/A	PS1 (1998)	N/A	N/A
January 14	Tengai Makyō: Daiyon no Mokushiroku	N/A	N/A	Sat	N/A	N/A
January 31	Final Fantasy VII (Japan)	1998	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
February 5	DoDonPachi	N/A	N/A	Sat (September 18), PS1 (1998)	N/A	Yes
February 10	Mario Kart 64	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
February 27	The Lost Vikings 2	April 30	SNES	PS1 (May), Sat (May)	N/A	N/A
February 28	Blast Corps	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
February 28	Independence Day	Yes	N/A	PS1, Sat	N/A	N/A
February 28	Mega Man 8	N/A	N/A	PS1, Sat	N/A	N/A
February 28	Turok: Dinosaur Hunter	November 30	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
February 28	Interstate '76	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
March 20	Castlevania: Symphony of the Night	N/A	N/A	PS1, Sat (1998)	N/A	N/A
March 20	Tekken 3	N/A	N/A	PS1 (1998)	N/A	Yes
March 26	Vandal Hearts	N/A	N/A	PS1, Sat (November 27)	N/A	N/A
March 30	The Last Express	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
March 31	Need for Speed II	Yes	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
April 7	Outlaws	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
April 30	Fighters Megamix	N/A	N/A	Sat	Game.com (1998)	N/A
April 30	Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
May 21	Blood	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
May 31	MDK	Yes	N/A	PS1 (1998)	N/A	N/A
June	Harvest Moon	N/A	SNES	N/A	N/A	N/A
June 20	Sonic Jam	N/A	N/A	Sat	Game.com (1998)	N/A
June 20	Final Fantasy Tactics (Japan)	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
June 26	Dungeon Keeper	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
June 30	Star Fox 64	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
July 4	Jane's 688(I) Hunter/Killer	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
July 28	The King of Fighters '97	N/A	Neo, NeoCD	PS1, Sat (1998)	N/A	Yes
July 30	Carmageddon	Yes	N/A	PS1 (1999), N64 (2000)	GBC (2000)	N/A
July 31	Herc's Adventures	N/A	N/A	PS1, Sat	N/A	N/A
July 31	Warlords III: Reign of Heroes	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
August 1	Mega Man X4	1999	N/A	PS1, Sat	N/A	N/A
August 11	Tetrisphere	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
August 25	GoldenEye 007	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
August 31	Imperialism	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 10	Silhouette Mirage	N/A	N/A	Sat, PS1 (1998)	N/A	N/A
September 11	Breath of Fire III	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
September 11	Hexen II	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 12	Shadow Warrior	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 18	Street Fighter Collection	N/A	N/A	Sat, PS1 (October 23)	N/A	N/A
September 19	Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee	Yes	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
September 24	Ultima Online	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 24	Postal	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 26	LEGO Island	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 29	Croc: Legend of the Gobbos	N/A	N/A	PS1, Sat	N/A	N/A
September 30	Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 30	Fallout	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 30	Panzer General II	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
September 30	Poy Poy	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
September 30	Total Annihilation	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 9	Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 15	Age of Empires	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 15	Mortal Kombat 4	1998	N/A	N64, PS1 (1998)	GBC (1998)	Yes
October 21	Grand Theft Auto	Yes	N/A	PS1 (December 12)	GBC (1999)	N/A
October 23	Steep Slope Sliders	N/A	N/A	Sat	N/A	1998
October 28	Shipwreckers	Yes	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
October 29	Riven	Yes	N/A	Sat, PS1 (November 30)	N/A	N/A
October 30	Culdcept	N/A	N/A	Sat, PS1 (1999)	N/A	N/A
October 31	Blade Runner	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 31	Colony Wars	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
October 31	The Curse of Monkey Island	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
October 31	PaRappa the Rapper	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
October 31	Zork: Grand Inquisitor	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
November	Independence War	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
November 1	Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
November 1	Shock Troopers	N/A	Neo	N/A	N/A	Yes
November 17	Sonic R	1998	N/A	Sat	N/A	N/A
November 18	Tomb Raider II	Yes	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
November 21	Diddy Kong Racing	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
November 21	Worms 2	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
November 25	Myth: The Fallen Lords	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
November 27	Kirby's Dream Land 3	N/A	SNES	N/A	N/A	N/A
November 30	Bomberman 64	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
November 30	One	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
November 30	Wing Commander: Prophecy	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
November 30	WCW vs. nWo: World Tour	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
December 6	Quake II	Yes	N/A	PS1, N64 (1999)	N/A	N/A
December 11	Klonoa: Door to Phantomile	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
December 18	Grandia (Japan)	N/A	N/A	Sat, PS1 (1999)	N/A	N/A
December 18	Mega Man Legends	2001	N/A	PS1, N64 (2000)	N/A	N/A
December 21	Yoshi's Story	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A
December 23	Gran Turismo	N/A	N/A	PS1	N/A	N/A
December 31	Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero	N/A	N/A	N64	N/A	N/A

Hardware

March 1 – The Nintendo 64 is released in Europe and Australia
October 20 – Nintendo releases a smaller redesigned version of the SNES, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Model SNS-101) in North America.
Junny releases PlayStation development software for PC
Tiger Electronics releases the Game.com

Business

Activision acquires CentreSoft Ltd. and Raven Software
Electronic Arts Inc. acquires Maxis
GameTek filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed its doors in July 1998
2015, Inc. founded
4D Rulers Software, Inc. founded
September – 4HEAD Studios created
Bungie West formed by Bungie
Conspiracy Entertainment Corporation founded
Crave Entertainment, Inc. formed
August – Human Head Studios, Inc. formed
Illusion Softworks, a.s. founded
April 15 – Irem Software Engineering Inc. founded
Irrational Games LLC founded
Mythic Entertainment renames itself from Interworld Productions after name dispute with another "Interworld" company
THQ renamed from Toy Headquarters, Inc.
Warthog PLC founded

Lawsuits

Nintendo vs Games City: Nintendo sues Games City for selling the Game Doctor and Doctor V64 backup devices for the SNES and N64 consoles. Nintendo wins the suit.
Nintendo vs Prima Publishing: Nintendo sues Prima over copyrights to maps of the N64 video game GoldenEye 007. Nintendo loses the suit.
Nintendo vs Sony Video Games: Nintendo sues Sony over copyrights about Mario games.

Discontinual

Sega announces that the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) has been discontinued.
Sega Game Gear discontinued.

Critically acclaimed titles

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

1997 games and expansions scoring at least 88/100 (MC) or 87.5% (GR)^[3]^[4]
Game	Publisher	Release Date	Platform(s)	MC score	GR score
Gran Turismo	Sony Computer Entertainment	December 23, 1997	PlayStation	96/100^[5]	94.95%^[6]
GoldenEye 007	Nintendo	August 25, 1997	Nintendo 64	96/100	94.7%
Diablo	Blizzard Entertainment	January 3, 1997	Microsoft Windows	94/100	89.07%
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night	Konami	March 20, 1997	PlayStation	93/100	93.03%
Final Fantasy VII	Square	January 31, 1997	PlayStation	92/100	92.35%
Dungeon Keeper	Electronic Arts	June 26, 1997	Microsoft Windows	N/A	92.2%
Colony Wars	Psygnosis	October 31, 1997	PlayStation	91/100	92.09%
Sid Meier's Gettysburg!	Electronic Arts	October 14, 1997	Microsoft Windows	92/100	91%^[7]
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II	LucasArts	October 10, 1997	Microsoft Windows	91/100	88.69%
Myth: The Fallen Lords	Bungie	November 7, 1997	Microsoft Windows	91/100	80.8%
Blast Corps	Nintendo	March 21, 1997	Nintendo 64	90/100	88.87%
NFL GameDay 98	Sony Computer Entertainment	September 4, 1997	PlayStation	N/A	90%
Fallout	Interplay Productions	October 10, 1997	Microsoft Windows	89/100	89.69%
Carmageddon	Sales Curve Interactive	June 13, 1997	Microsoft Windows	N/A	89.6%
Formula 1 97	Psygnosis	September 26, 1997	PlayStation	N/A	89.43%
MDK	Playmates Interactive	May 5, 1997	Microsoft Windows	N/A	89.2%
Star Fox 64	Nintendo	April 27, 1997	Nintendo 64	88/100	89.01%
The Curse of Monkey Island	LucasArts	November 1, 1997	Microsoft Windows	89/100	89%
Einhänder	Square	November 20, 1997	PlayStation	89/100^[5]	85%^[6]
Total Annihilation	GT Interactive	September 26, 1997	Microsoft Windows	86/100	88.85%
Diddy Kong Racing	Rare	November 21, 1997	Nintendo 64	88/100	88.65%
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back	Sony Computer Entertainment	October 31, 1997	PlayStation	N/A	88.54%
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee	GT Interactive	September 18, 1997	PlayStation	85/100	87.94%

References

^ "Attendance and Stats". IGN. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
^ "1997 Top 30 Best Selling Japanese Console Games". The Magic Box. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
^ "Best Video Games for 1997". Metacritic. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
^ "Highest-Ranking Games of 1997 (with at least 5 reviews)". GameRankings. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Best Video Games for 1998". Metacritic. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Highest-Ranking Games of 1998 (with at least 10 reviews)". GameRankings. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
^ "Sid Meier's Gettysburg! for PC". GameRankings. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

External links

[1] "Attendance and Stats". IGN. Retrieved May 21, 2015.

[2] "1997 Top 30 Best Selling Japanese Console Games". The Magic Box. Retrieved February 24, 2021.

[Metacritic_Best-3] "Best Video Games for 1997". Metacritic. Retrieved February 18, 2019.

[GameRankings_Best-4] "Highest-Ranking Games of 1997 (with at least 5 reviews)". GameRankings. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[Metacritic_1998-5] "Best Video Games for 1998". Metacritic. Retrieved February 17, 2019.

[GameRankings_1998-6] "Highest-Ranking Games of 1998 (with at least 10 reviews)". GameRankings. Retrieved February 25, 2019.

[7] "Sid Meier's Gettysburg! for PC". GameRankings. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

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