1989 in video games

Top rated games

Major awards

7th Golden Joystick Awards

The 7th Golden Joystick Awards ceremony took place at Kensington Roof Gardens, 11 April 1990.[1]

Award Winner (8-bit) Winner (16-bit)
Game of the Year The Untouchables Kick Off
Best Graphics of the Year Myth Shadow of the Beast
Best Soundtrack of the Year Chase H.Q. Future Wars
Best Simulation Game of the Year Carrier Command M1 Tank Platoon
Best Coin-Op Conversion of the Year Chase H.Q. Hard Drivin'
PC Leisure Product of the Year Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure
Most Original Game of the Year Populous
Software House of the Year Ocean Software
Electronic Gaming Monthly's Best and Worst of 1989
Award Winner[2]
Best Game of the Year Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Best Nintendo Game Ninja Gaiden
Best Sega Game Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap
Best TurboGrafx Game The Legendary Axe
Best Graphics Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Best BGM and Sound Fighting Street
Best New Video Game System Sega Genesis
Most Challenging Video Game Phantasy Star
Best Sports-Themed Video Game World Class Baseball, Tommy Lasorda Baseball and Baseball Simulator 1.000 (tie)
Best Sequel Mega Man 2 and Ghouls 'n Ghosts (tie)
Best RPG Ultima III: Exodus
Best Video Game Controller Joycard Sansui SSS
Hottest Hero Mega Man
Coolest Boss Loki in Ghouls 'n Ghosts and Jagu in The Legendary Axe (tie)
Best Movie to Game Batman: The Video Game
Best Ending Ninja Gaiden
Most Promising Game Companies Sega, Konami, Acclaim, Sunsoft, Tecmo

Critically acclaimed titles

Notable video game releases in 1989 that have accumulated overall critical acclaim from at least three contemporary English-language sources include:

TitlePublisherPlatformGenre(s)# of Reviews
Populous Electronic Arts Atari ST God 3[3][4][5]
SimCity Maxis Amiga City-building 7[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
Populous Electronic Arts Amiga God 9[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
Myth: History in the Making System 3 ZX Spectrum Platform 3[22][23][24]
Xenon 2: Megablast Image Works Atari ST Shoot 'em up 7[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]
Xenon 2: Megablast Image Works Amiga Shoot 'em up 8[26][27][28][30][32][33][34][35]
F-16 Combat Pilot Digital Integration Amiga Combat flight simulation 7[36][37][38][39][40][41][42]
Chase H.Q. Ocean Software ZX Spectrum Racing 5[43][44][45][46][47]
Ghouls 'n Ghosts Sega Sega Genesis Platform 4[48][49][50][51]
R-Type II Irem Arcade Shoot 'em up 4[52][53][54][55]
The Revenge of Shinobi Sega Sega Genesis Platform 6[56][57][58][59][60][61]
Batman Ocean Software ZX Spectrum Action-adventure 3[62][63][64]
The Untouchables Ocean Software ZX Spectrum Action-adventure 4[65][66][67][68]
Stunt Car Racer MicroStyle Commodore 64 Racing 4[69][70][71][72]
F-16 Combat Pilot Digital Integration DOS Combat flight simulation 4[41][73][74][75]
Myth: History in the Making System 3 Commodore 64 Platform 4[24][76][77][78]
Forgotten Worlds U.S. Gold Amiga Shoot 'em up 6[79][80][81][82][83][84]
Blazing Lazers Hudson Soft TurboGrafx-16 Shoot 'em up 4[85][86][87][88]
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure Lucasfilm Games DOS Graphic adventure 4[89][90][91][92]
Stunt Car Racer MicroStyle Amiga Racing 7[70][72][93][94][95][96][97]
Interphase Image Works Atari ST First-person shooter 5[98][99][100][101][102]
Forgotten Worlds U.S. Gold Commodore 64 Shoot 'em up 5[79][80][81][83][103]
Phantasy Star II Sega Sega Genesis Role-playing 3[104][105][106]
Golden Axe Sega Sega Genesis Beat 'em up 6[107][108][109][110][111][112]
Ghouls 'n Ghosts U.S. Gold Amiga Platform 4[113][114][115][116]
Interphase Image Works Amiga First-person shooter 9[100][101][102][117][118][119][120][121][122]
The Untouchables Ocean Software Amiga Action-adventure 4[123][124][125][126]
Super Mario Land Nintendo Game Boy Platform 4[127][128][129][130]
Dungeon Explorer Hudson Soft TurboGrafx-16 Action role-playing 4[56][131][132][133]
Forgotten Worlds U.S. Gold ZX Spectrum Shoot 'em up 3[80][81][134]
F-16 Combat Pilot Digital Integration Atari ST Combat flight simulation 4[41][74][75][135]
Stunt Car Racer MicroStyle Atari ST Racing 7[96][136][137][138][139][140][141]
The Untouchables Ocean Software Atari ST Action-adventure 4[142][143][144][145]
Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur Infocom Amiga Interactive fiction 8[146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153]
Strider U.S. Gold Atari ST Platform 7[154][155][156][157][158][159][160]

Events

The original Game Boy.

Hardware releases

Game releases

Business

  1. Nintendo sues Tengen over the Tetris video game copyrights. Tengen loses and recalls all its Tetris games.
  2. In November, Nintendo sues Tengen over production of unlicensed Nintendo games. Tengen loses. (Tengen originally sued Nintendo on December 12, 1988, for antitrust violations.)
  • Nintendo v. Camerica Ltd. Nintendo sues Camerica over patent violations of the Game Genie for the NES console. Camerica wins the suit.
  • UK publisher Martech goes out of business.

References

  1. "High Society". ACE. EMAP (33): 10. June 1990.
  2. "Electronic Gaming Best and Worst of 1989" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. January 1990. pp. 17–24.
  3. Nic Outterside (May 1989). "Game of the gods" (PDF). Atari ST User. pp. 20–21.
  4. "Updates: Populous". The One. June 1989. p. 16.
  5. "On the Seventh Day... Populous". The Games Machine. June 1989. p. 51.
  6. "SimCity". Zzap!. January 1990.
  7. "SimCity". Compute's Amiga Resource. October 1989.
  8. Mark Patterson (December 1989). "SimCity". Commodore User.
  9. "SimCity". The Games Machine. January 1990.
  10. Eugene Lacey (September 1989). "SimCity". Advanced Computer Entertainment.
  11. John Cook (October 1989). "SimCity". Computer & Video Games.
  12. Sean Kelly (January 1990). "SimCity". Zero.
  13. Andy Smith (April 1989). "Screen Test: Populous". Advanced Computer Entertainment. pp. 40–41.
  14. Keith Ferrell (October 1989). "Reviews: Populous". Compute's Amiga Resource. pp. 73–75.
  15. Julian Rignall (April 1989). "Reviews: Populous". Computer & Video Games. pp. 30–32.
  16. Gary Whitta (April 1989). "Review: Populous". The One. pp. 34–36.
  17. "Populous". Zzap!. April 1989. p. 21.
  18. Mark Patterson (April 1989). "Amiga Screen Scene: Populous". Commodore User. pp. 24–25.
  19. Mark Higham (April 1989). "Review: Populous". ST/Amiga Format. pp. 72–73.
  20. Nancy Picard (May 1989). "Entertainment: Populous". Amiga User International. pp. 74–75.
  21. "Reviews: Populous". The Games Machine. April 1989. pp. 24–25.
  22. "CRASH 70 - Myth". Crash!. November 1989.
  23. "Games Review: Myth". Sinclair User. December 1989. pp. 110–111.
  24. "Reviews: Myth". The Games Machine. November 1989. p. 92.
  25. Roland Waddilove (October 1989). "Atari ST User Star Game: Blast it!". Atari ST User. pp. 36–37.
  26. Warren Lapworth (October 1989). "Reviews: Xenon 2 Megablast". The Games Machine. pp. 80–81.
  27. Paul Glancey (September 1989). "Review: Xenon 2". Computer & Video Games. pp. 52–53.
  28. "Review: Xenon 2 Megablast". Zero. October 1989. pp. 8–11.
  29. Brian Nesbitt (August 1989). "Xenon 2 Megablast". The One. pp. 41–44.
  30. Pete Connor (October 1989). "Screentest: Xenon II". Advanced Computer Entertainment. pp. 50–51.
  31. Gary Barrett (October 1989). "Xenon 2". ST Format. pp. 82–83.
  32. "Zzap! Test: Xenon 2 Megablast". Zzap!. October 1989. pp. 70–71.
  33. Andy Smith (October 1989). "Xenon 2". Amiga Format. pp. 52–53.
  34. Tony Horgan (November 1989). "Entertainment: Xenon 2 Megablast". Amiga User International. pp. 90–91.
  35. Mike Pattenden (October 1989). "Amiga Screen Scene: Xenon II". Commodore User. pp. 40–41.
  36. Mark Smiddy (November 1989). "Entertainment: F-16 Combat Pilot". Amiga User International. pp. 85–87.
  37. "Updates: F16 Combat Pilot". Advanced Computer Entertainment. November 1989. p. 97.
  38. Simon Rockman (September 1989). "Games: F-16 Combat Pilot". Amiga Computing. pp. 16–17.
  39. Andy Smith (October 1989). "Screen Play: F-16 Combat Pilot". Amiga Format. pp. 42–43.
  40. "Version Updates: F-16 Combat Pilot". The Games Machine. November 1989. p. 91.
  41. Duncan MacDonald (November 1989). "Flying Tonight: F-16 Combat Pilot". Zero. p. 27.
  42. Tony Dillon (August 1989). "Amiga Screen Scene: F-16". Commodore User. pp. 30–31.
  43. Julian Rignall (January 1990). "Chase H.Q.". Computer & Video Games. pp. 18–19.
  44. "CRASH 71 - Chase HQ". Crash!. December 1989.
  45. Matt Bielby (February 1990). "Chase HQ". Your Sinclair. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016.
  46. "Chase HQ". The Games Machine. December 1989.
  47. Eugene Lacey (February 1990). "Chase HQ". Advanced Computer Entertainment.
  48. Paul Glancey (October 1989). "Mean Machines: Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Computer & Video Games.
  49. Julian Boardman (January 1991). "Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Raze.
  50. "Ghouls 'n Ghosts" (PDF). Mean Machines. October 1990.
  51. "Ghouls 'n Ghosts" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. December 1989. p. 62.
  52. Matt Bielby (February 1990). "Dosh Eaters: R-Type II". Zero. p. 90.
  53. Matt Bielby (March 1990). "Slots of Fun: R-Type II". Your Sinclair. p. 84.
  54. "Arcade Action: R-Type II". Computer & Video Games. February 1990. p. 66.
  55. "Arcades: R-Type II". Commodore User. January 1990. pp. 110–111.
  56. Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (November 1990). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (163): 47–50.
  57. "The Super Shinobi". Zero. March 1990.
  58. "Revenge of Shinobi" (PDF). Mean Machines. October 1990.
  59. Julian Boardman (January 1991). "The Revenge of Shinobi". Raze.
  60. "The Super Shinobi". The Games Machine. March 1990.
  61. "Revenge of Shinobi" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. March 1990. p. 20.
  62. "Batman: The Movie". The Games Machine. November 1989.
  63. "CRASH 70 - Batman". Crash!. November 1989.
  64. Tony Dillon (February 1989). "Batman". Computer & Video Games. pp. 52–53.
  65. "Games Review: The Untouchables". Sinclair User. November 1989. pp. 30–32.
  66. "Reviews: The Untouchables". The Games Machine. November 1989. pp. 84–85.
  67. "The Untouchables". Crash!. November 1989. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  68. Paul Rand (November 1989). "Review: The Untouchables". Computer & Video Games. pp. 58–59.
  69. "C64 Stunt Car". Advanced Computer Entertainment. December 1989. p. 100.
  70. "Zzap Test: Stunt Car Racer". Zzap!. December 1989. pp. 74–75.
  71. "Reviews: Stuntcar Racer". The Games Machine. December 1989. p. 89.
  72. Tony Dillon (December 1989). "Amiga Screen Scene: Stunt Car Racer". Commodore User. pp. 52–53.
  73. Andy Smith (May 1989). "Screen Test: F-16 Combat Pilot". Advanced Computer Entertainment. p. 51.
  74. "Reviews: F-16 Combat Pilot". The Games Machine. February 1989. p. 64.
  75. "Review: F-16 Combat Pilot". The One. March 1989. pp. 76–78.
  76. Laurence Scotford (January 1990). "Screentest: Myth". Advanced Computer Entertainment. p. 62.
  77. Mark Patterson (December 1989). "C64 Screen Scene: Myth". Commodore User. pp. 76–77.
  78. Paul Glancey (October 1989). "Review: Myth". Computer & Video Games. pp. 50–51.
  79. "Forgotten Worlds". Zzap!. June 1989. pp. 75–77. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  80. "Forgotten Worlds". The Games Machine. June 1989. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  81. Julian Rignall (June 1989). "Forgotten Worlds". Computer & Video Games. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  82. Mark Patterson (May 1989). "Amiga Screen Scene: Forgotten Worlds". Commodore User. pp. 16–17. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  83. "Forgotten Worlds". Advanced Computer Entertainment. August 1989.
  84. Gary Whitta (May 1989). "Forgotten Worlds". The One.
  85. Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (May 1991). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (169): 61–65.
  86. Glancey, Paul (September 1989). "Gunhed". Computer and Video Games (94). p. 100.
  87. "Gunhed". Zero. November 1989.
  88. Harris, Steve (November 1989). "Turbo Champ – TurboGrafx Explodes with Games". Electronic Gaming Monthly (4): 68–69.
  89. Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (December 1989). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (152): 64–70.
  90. Rignall, Julian (September 1989). "Indy Adventure". Computer and Video Games (94). pp. 62–63.
  91. Paul Presley (October 1989). "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure". The One.
  92. "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure". The Games Machine. December 1989.
  93. "Games: Stunt Car Racer". Amiga Computing. March 1990. pp. 34–35.
  94. Andy Smith (January 1990). "Screenplay: Stunt Car Racer". Amiga Format. p. 45.
  95. "Entertainment: Stunt Car Racer". Amiga User International. January 1990. pp. 106–107.
  96. MacDonald, Duncan; Kelly, Sean (December 1989). "Review: Stunt Car Racer". Zero. pp. 36–39.
  97. "Stunt Car Racer". Amiga Action. February 1990. pp. 68–69.
  98. Mark Higham (November 1989). "Games: Interphase". ST Format. pp. 60–61.
  99. Janice Murray (November 1989). "Futuristic fantasy". Atari ST User. pp. 50–51.
  100. "Reviews: Interphase: Edge of Dreamtime". The Games Machine. December 1989. p. 80.
  101. MacDonald, Duncan; Kelly, Sean (December 1989). "Review: Interphase". Zero. pp. 62–63.
  102. Paul Glancey (December 1989). "Review: Interphase". Computer & Video Games. pp. 70–71.
  103. Mark Patterson (May 1989). "64 Screen Scene: Forgotten Worlds". Commodore User. p. 19.
  104. Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (August 1990). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (160): 47–52.
  105. "Phantasy Star II". Raze (5). April 1991. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  106. "Phantasy Star 2" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. April 1990. p. 18.
  107. Julian Rignall (April 1990). "Mean Machines: Golden Axe". Computer & Video Games.
  108. "Golden Axe". Zero. April 1990.
  109. Mark Caswell (March 1990). "Golden Axe". The Games Machine.
  110. Les Ellis (January 1991). "Golden Axe". Raze.
  111. "Golden Axe" (PDF). Mean Machines. October 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  112. "Golden Axe" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. March 1990. p. 20. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  113. Mark Caswell (February 1990). "Ghouls 'n' Ghosts". The Games Machine.
  114. Maff Evans (February 1990). "Ghouls 'n' Ghosts". Amiga Format.
  115. Mike Pattenden (January 1990). "Ghouls 'n' Ghosts". Commodore User.
  116. "Ghouls 'n' Ghosts". Zzap!. February 1990.
  117. "Interphase: Blow the mind". Amiga Computing. January 1990. pp. 22–23.
  118. "Zzap Test: Interphase". Zzap!. December 1989. pp. 78–79.
  119. "Screentest: Interphase". Advanced Computer Entertainment. December 1989. pp. 49–50.
  120. Mark Patterson (November 1989). "Amiga Screen Scene: Interphase". Commodore User. pp. 62–63.
  121. Andy Smith (November 1989). "Screen Play: Interphase". Amiga Format. pp. 38–39.
  122. Gary Whitta (November 1989). "Review: Interphase". The One. pp. 91–92.
  123. Sean Kelly (December 1989). "Review: The Untouchables". Zero. pp. 18–21.
  124. "The Untouchables". Zzap!. March 1990. pp. 76–77.
  125. "Screen Play: The Untouchables". Amiga Format. March 1990. pp. 32–33.
  126. "Reviews: The Untouchables". The Games Machine. March 1990. p. 52.
  127. "Boy Friends". The Games Machine. September 1990. p. 17. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  128. Rand, Paul (November 1989). "Marioland". Computer and Video Games. p. 119. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  129. Regan, Matt; Rignall, Julian (November 1990). "Super Mario Land review". Mean Machines. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  130. Harris, Steve; Semrad, Ed; Nauert, Donn; Allee, Jim (September 1989). "Electronic Gaming Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 3. p. 15. The magazine's review score is a composite of four reviews: 8, 8, 7, 8.
  131. Julian Rignall (July 1989). "Dungeon Explorer". Computer & Video Games.
  132. Julian Rignall (July 1989). "Mean Machines: Dungeon Explorer". Advanced Computer Entertainment.
  133. "Dungeon Explorer" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. November 1989. p. 12.
  134. "CRASH 65 - Forgotten Worlds". Crash!. June 1989.
  135. Nic Outterside (July 1989). "Software: Fly on Falcon". Atari ST User. p. 34.
  136. Julian Rignall (August 1989). "Review: Stunt Car". Computer & Video Games. pp. 76–77.
  137. "Stunt Car Racer". The Games Machine. November 1989. p. 89.
  138. Mike Pattenden (September 1989). "Screentest: Stunt Car". Advanced Computer Entertainment. pp. 68–69.
  139. Roland Waddilove (January 1990). "Screentest: Road Hog!". Atari ST User. pp. 36–37.
  140. Gary Penn (August 1989). "Review: Stunt Car Racer". The One. pp. 68–69.
  141. "Games Roundup: Stunt Car Racer". ST Format. August 1989. p. 73.
  142. Mark Caswell (February 1990). "The Untouchables". The Games Machine. p. 54.
  143. "Review: The Untouchables". Zero. December 1989. pp. 18–21.
  144. Laurence Scotford (February 1990). "Screen Test: The Untouchables". Advanced Computer Entertainment. p. 57.
  145. Mark Higham (February 1990). "The Untouchables". ST Format. pp. 46–47.
  146. "Arthur". Zzap!. October 1989.
  147. Paul Rigby (October 1989). "Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur". The Games Machine. p. 72.
  148. Keith Campbell (October 1989). "Arthur". Computer & Video Games. p. 97.
  149. Nick Walkland (October 1989). "Arthur". Amiga Format. p. 87.
  150. "Arthur". Advanced Computer Entertainment. September 1989. p. 52.
  151. Lucinda Orr (November 1989). "Arthur - The Quest". Amiga Computing. p. 22.
  152. "Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur". Commodore User. September 1989. p. 60.
  153. Andy Mitchell (October 1989). "King Arthur". Amiga Action. pp. 64–65.
  154. Julian Rignall (September 1989). "Strider". Computer & Video Games.
  155. "Strider". The Games Machine. October 1989.
  156. Mark Higham (October 1989). "Strider". ST Format.
  157. Mark Patterson (October 1989). "Strider". Advanced Computer Entertainment.
  158. "Strider". Zero. November 1989.
  159. Gary Whitta (September 1989). "Strider". The One.
  160. Janice Murray (October 1989). "Carry on hacking". Atari ST User.
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  162. "ProNews Report" (PDF). GamePro. July–August 1989. pp. 74–75.
  163. "ProNews Report" (PDF). GamePro. September–October 1989. pp. 70–71.
  164. "ProNews Report" (PDF). GamePro. December 1989. p. 80.
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  169. "ProNews Report" (PDF). GamePro. February 1990. p. 88.
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