1998 in video games

1998 saw many sequels and prequels in video games and several new titles such as Half-Life, Metal Gear Solid, F-Zero X, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Gex: Enter the Gecko, Xenogears, Banjo-Kazooie, Spyro the Dragon, Radiant Silvergun and MediEvil. The year has been retrospectively considered one of the best in video gaming due to the release of numerous critically acclaimed, commercially successful and influential titles across all platforms and genres.[1][2][3][4][5]

List of years in video games

Top rated games

Critically acclaimed titles

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)[6][7]
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 14, 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[8] 90.28%[9]
StarCraft Blizzard Entertainment March 31, 1998 Microsoft Windows 88/100 92.85%
Panzer Dragoon Saga Sega January 29, 1998 Sega Saturn N/A 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 N/A 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 N/A 90.13%
NFL Blitz Midway Games September 9, 1998 Nintendo 64 N/A 90.02%
1080° Snowboarding Nintendo February 28, 1998 Nintendo 64 N/A 89.60%
Battlezone Activision February 28, 1998 Microsoft Windows N/A 89.03%
Railroad Tycoon II Gathering of Developers October 31, 1998 Microsoft Windows 89/100 83.15%
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Acclaim Entertainment October 21, 1998 Nintendo 64 86/100 88.96%
FIFA 99 EA Sports October 31, 1998 Microsoft Windows N/A 88.87%
Caesar III Sierra Entertainment September 30, 1998 Microsoft Windows N/A 88.6%
Unreal GT Interactive May 22, 1998 Microsoft Windows N/A 88.58%
NBA Live 99 EA Sports October 31, 1998 PlayStation N/A 88.39%
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 Namco December 3, 1998 PlayStation 88/100[8] 88.16%[9]
NHL 99 EA Sports September 30, 1998 Microsoft Windows N/A 88.11%
Wario Land II Nintendo October 21, 1998 Game Boy Color N/A 88.04%[9]
Myth II: Soulblighter Bungie December 28, 1998 Microsoft Windows 88/100 86.39%
Starsiege: Tribes Sierra Entertainment December 23, 1998 Microsoft Windows 88/100 84.77%
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division Monolith Productions September 30, 1998 Microsoft Windows 88/100 81.6%
FIFA 99 EA Sports October 31, 1998 PlayStation N/A 87.95%
F-Zero X Nintendo July 14, 1998 Nintendo 64 85/100 87.61%
Madden NFL 99 EA Sports September 30, 1998 Nintendo 64 N/A 87.59%

Events

Business

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 Sega Saturn
DC Dreamcast
Win Microsoft Windows

January–March
MonthDayTitlePlatform(s)Genre(s)Source(s)
J
A
N
U
A
R
Y		 5 Robotron 64 N64 Shoot 'em up [16]
8 No One Can Stop Mr. Domino! PS1 Puzzle
12 Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes Arcade Fighting
21 Resident Evil 2 PS1 Survival horror [17]
29 Bomberman World PS1 Action, maze
Bust a Groove PS1 Music, fighting
Panzer Dragoon Saga Sat Action-adventure, role-playing
31 Skullmonkeys PS1 Platform
F
E
B
R
U
A
R
Y		 9 James Bond 007 GB Action-adventure
11 Xenogears PS1 Role-playing [18]
24 Gex: Enter the Gecko PS1 Platform
26 Burning Rangers Sat Action, third-person shooter
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins PS1 Action-adventure, stealth
X-Men vs. Street Fighter: EX Edition PS1 Fighting
28 1080° Snowboarding N64 Racing [19]
Battlezone Win First-person shooter, real-time strategy
ReBoot PS1 Action [20]
Star Wars: Rebellion Win Real-time strategy
M
A
R
C
H		 9 Wario Land II GB Platform
19 Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War Win Space combat simulator
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers Arcade Fighting
25 Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit PS1, Win Racing [21]
26 Dungeon Master Nexus Sat Role-playing
The House of the Dead Sat Rail shooter
The King of Fighters '97 Sat Fighting
Tekken 3 PS1 Fighting [22]
29 Parasite Eve PS1 Action role-playing [23]
31 Blasto PS1 Third-person shooter
StarCraft Win Real-time strategy [24]
Warhammer: Dark Omen Win Real-time tactics
World Cup 98 PS1, Win Sports (soccer)

April–June
MonthDayTitlePlatform(s)Genre(s)Source(s)
A
P
R
I
L		 4 Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die Sat Tactical role-playing, dating sim, visual novel [25]
7 Warhammer: Dark Omen PS1 Real-time tactics [26]
9 G-Darius PS1 Shoot 'em up
14 GT 64: Championship Edition N64 Racing
17 Puyo Puyo Sun Win Puzzle
29 Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers Neo Fighting
Shining Force III Scenario 2 – Target: Child of God Sat Tactical role-playing
Super Tempo Sat Platform [27]
30 Bomberman Hero N64 Platform
Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven Win Role-playing
World Cup 98 Win Sports (soccer)
M
A
Y		 7 Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Win Platform [28]
18 World Cup 98 N64 Sports (soccer)
21 Baroque Sat Role-playing
22 Unreal Win First-person shooter
28 Radiant Silvergun Arcade Shoot 'em up
The King of Fighters '97 PS1 Fighting
J
U
N
E		 4 Atelier Marie Plus PS1 Role-playing
International Superstar Soccer 98 N64 Sports (soccer)
Vigilante 8 PS1 Vehicular combat [29]
11 Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix PS1 Fighting
12 Wetrix N64 Puzzle [30]
24 Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines Win Real-time tactics
25 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Sat Action-adventure
29 Banjo-Kazooie N64 Platform [31]
30 Deep Fear Sat Survival horror
N2O: Nitrous Oxide PS1 Shoot 'em up [32]

July–September
MonthDayTitlePlatform(s)Genre(s)Source(s)
J
U
L
Y		 4 Heart of Darkness PS1 Platform
9 FIFA 99 PS1 Sports (soccer)
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix Sat Fighting
14 F-Zero X N64 Racing [33]
WWF War Zone PS1 Sports (professional wrestling)
16 Brave Fencer Musashi PS1 Action role-playing
Hopkins FBI Win Adventure [34]
23 Radiant Silvergun Sat Shoot 'em up
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers NeoCD Fighting
30 Star Ocean: The Second Story PS1 Action role-playing
31 F-1 World Grand Prix N64 Racing
Heart of Darkness Win Platform
Iggy's Reckin' Balls N64 Racing
A
U
G
U
S
T		 1 Gex: Enter the Gecko N64 Platform
Pokémon Stadium N64 Role-playing [35]
6 Resident Evil: Director's Cut – Dual Shock Version PS1 Survival horror
Wachenröder Sat Tactical role-playing
11 WWF War Zone N64 Sports (professional wrestling)
21 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Win Tactical shooter
27 Black/Matrix Sat Tactical role-playing
S
E
P
T
E
M
B
E
R		 3 Metal Gear Solid PS1 Action-adventure, stealth [36]
9 NASCAR 99 N64 Racing [37]
NFL Blitz N64 Sports (football) [38][37]
10 NFL Blitz PS1 Sports (football) [39]
Spyro the Dragon PS1 Platform [40]
12 Pokémon Yellow GB Role-playing [41]
17 Suikoden Sat Role-playing
23 Digital Monster Version S: Digimon Tamers Sat Virtual pet
Madden NFL 99 N64 Sports (football) [37]
Shining Force III Scenario 3 – Bulzome Rising Sat Tactical role-playing
25 Dragon Warrior Monsters GBC Role-playing
26 Dance Dance Revolution Arcade Music
30 Body Harvest N64 Action-adventure
Caesar III Win City-building
Delta Force Win Tactical shooter
Gex: Enter the Gecko Win Platform
NHL 99 PS1, Win Sports (ice hockey)
Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 PS1 Vehicular combat
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division Win First-person shooter

October–December
MonthDayTitlePlatform(s)Genre(s)Source(s)
O
C
T
O
B
E
R		 1 MediEvil PS1 Action-adventure [42]
NHL 99 N64 Sports (ice hockey) [43]
2 NFL Blitz Win Sports (football) [44]
12 Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit Win Racing
21 Turok 2: Seeds of Evil N64 First-person shooter [45]
Tetris DX GBC Puzzle [46]
Wario Land II GBC Platform [47]
22 Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter Sat Fighting
28 Grim Fandango Win Adventure [48]
29 Fallout 2 Win Role-playing [49]
31 Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome Win Real-time strategy
Apocalypse PS1 Third-person shooter
Centipede Win Shoot 'em up
Crash Bandicoot: Warped PS1 Platform [50]
FIFA 99 Win Sports (soccer)
Glover N64, Win Platform
Heretic II Win Action-adventure
NBA Live 99 PS1, Win Sports (basketball) [51]
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus PS1, Win Platform [52]
Railroad Tycoon II Win Business simulation
N
O
V
E
M
B
E
R
 1 Red Comrades Save the Galaxy Win Adventure
4 NBA Live 99 N64 Sports (basketball) [53]
9 SiN Win First-person shooter [54]
10 Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA N64 Racing
11 Sonic R Win Racing
19 Half-Life Win First-person shooter [55]
20 The Settlers III Win Real-time strategy, city-building [56]
Tomb Raider III PS1, Win Action-adventure [57]
21 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time N64 Action-adventure [58]
25 Blood II: The Chosen Win First-person shooter [59]
27 Puyo Puyo Sun GBC Puzzle
D
E
C
E
M
B
E
R		 1 Gex: Enter the Gecko GBC Platform
Thief: The Dark Project Win Stealth [60]
3 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron Win Action
4 Magic and Mayhem Win Real-time strategy
7 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron N64 Action
12 Falcon 4.0 Win Combat flight simulator
Hey You, Pikachu! N64 Virtual pet [61]
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX GBC Action-adventure [62]
17 Suikoden II PS1 Role-playing
18 Mario Party N64 Party [63]
Pokémon Trading Card Game GBC Digital collectible card game [64]
StarCraft: Brood War Win Real-time strategy [65]
21 Baldur's Gate Win Role-playing [66]
South Park N64 First-person shooter [67]
23 Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon 2 PS1 Roguelike [68]
Sonic Adventure DC Platform [69]
Starsiege: Tribes Win First-person shooter [70]
28 Myth II: Soulblighter Win Real-time tactics [71]
31 Akuji the Heartless PS1 Action-adventure

References
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